New Delhi: Energy ministers of 60 countries will brainstorm on global energy security and transition to renewables at the biennial International Energy Forum (IEF) Ministerial Meet scheduled on April 10-12, 2018.
“We expect about 60 energy ministers, 15 chief of international organisation including IEA and OPEC and 30 CEOs from top companies. It will be across the board focus discussion at IEF Ministerial Meet at Delhi,” Sunjay Sudhir Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas told reporter here today.
Talking about the theme of the meet, he said, “We are trying to capture the themes which concern everybody including oil producing and consuming countries; developing, least developed or developed countries. The theme of the meet is the future of global energy security. Transition, technology, trade and investment will be discussed”.
He further said, “Transition part will be very important because every now and then you hear about electric vehicles, renewable, competing with prices of solar or wind energy. So, this transition is something we need to capture. So that, we can take position on oil and gas sector. There will also be focus on gas”.
Dr Sun Xiansheng Secretary General IEF said, “This is official announcement that IEF’s 16th Ministerial Meeting will be arranged in New Delhi on April 10 to 12, 2018. Every two years, we have this meeting. It is important meeting for oil consuming and producing countries”.
He explained, “We have many member countries which don’t belong to IEA and OPEC like Russia. India and China are Asian members of IEA. But, they do not have voting rights and are observers only. Thus IEF is more important”.
He also said, “We guess that 700 delegates will attend this meeting. India (the host) is an important oil consuming country. This time co-hosts are China and South Korea, which are also consumer countries. All producers countries will come because buyers are here. Prime Minister of India will open the meeting”.
About discussion on Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan– India Pipeline (TAPI), Sudhir said, “There may be discussion on the margins because we expect minister from Turkmenistan to join. There will be ground breaking ceremony of Afghanistan leg of TAPI on February 23”.
Source: PTI
