International Energy Conference and Expo opens today

…4 Heads of State participating, over 150 exhibitors

The stage has been set for the inaugural International Energy Conference and Expo today, bringing together leaders, international executives and companies on the energy future.

Over 150 exhibitors are registered for the event – 40 of which are local companies or operators. Apart from participation from President Dr Irfaan Ali; the visiting leaders include Ghanian President, Nana Akufo-Addo; Surinamese President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi and Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Mottley. All of the Heads of States will address participants.

Other featured presenters include Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo; Prime Minister, Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips; Government Ministers; ExxonMobil Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Darren Woods; Chairman of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, Robert Dudley; Vice President of Baker Hughes; Maria Borras; United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch; Canadian High Commissioner, Mark Berman; and United Kingdom High Commissioner to Guyana Jane Miller among others.

The theme of the conference is “Charting a Sustainable Energy Future”. It is expected that the International Energy Conference Expo will showcase Guyana as the oil and gas investment destination, create and build effective industry relationships, provide the medium for local businesses to access collateral and joint ventures, which is in keeping with the goals and objective of the Local Content Policy.
Government will be using the expo to highlight its complement of spin-off oil and gas investments and forthcoming national infrastructural projects planned for the short to medium term.
The four-day packed agenda focuses on topics such as skills and infrastructure needed in the energy industry; Guyana’s approach for a sustainable future; the energy corridor and cross border oil field development; opportunities for the diaspora; Guyana’s deep-water port project; renewable energy and projects underway in Guyana, among several other significant headings.
The fourth day is reserved for business-to-business meetings, where conference participants will be matched with local companies that they can explore potential partnerships with. It will also provide a chance to link international delegates with operators.
Communications Director at Tagman Media, Alex Graham told media operatives on Monday, “We have worked as far as possible to put three main groups of people together; policymakers, practitioners and professors into the same conversation about what the energy future is going to look like globally, how Guyana is able to participate in that energy future, how Guyana makes itself competitive and related subjects.”
The Umana Yana has been converted into a temporary duty-free zone, supplied with local products. With questions raised in relation to financing, Graham has pointed out that Government has not injected any finances into the conference and there is no political agenda in play. According to him, every stakeholder was welcomed to participate and those registered are the ones who responded to the initiative.
“We have invited participation and among those who responded to our invitation are Heads of State and their delegations. Those delegations are being treated as guests of the State and the State is providing the usual support it does to visiting Heads of State and Government. The State is determining, on its own, what those courtesies are. The State is not providing any financing for the conference at any level.” (G12)