OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al-Ghais will deliver an opening keynote address at the Invest in African Energy forum in Paris today, affirming Africa’s importance to global oil markets and energy security. 

According to an official announcement, Secretary General Al-Ghais will be accompanied by a high-level delegation from the OPEC Secretariat comprising Director of Research Dr. Ayed S. al-Qahtani, department heads and other high-ranking officials. 

Home to six OPEC member countries, the African continent plays a critical role in global oil supply and demand discussions, particularly as frontier markets like Namibia produce billion-barrel hydrocarbon discoveries. The two-day forum serves to promote oil, gas and energy investment opportunities across the continent, with a view to catalyzing new finance, supporting project implementation and strengthening dialogue on energy cooperation. 

“Encouraging investment in Africa is a topic close to our heart at OPEC. Half of the member countries of OPEC hail from this great continent: Algeria, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya and Nigeria,” stated Secretary General Al-Ghais. “Africa is a center of the future for our industry, offering a vast horizon of opportunities in undeveloped oil resources that will be needed to help meet future world energy needs.”

OPEC is participating in the forum with a special session outlining its short- to long-term crude oil market perspectives. The session will unpack the primary factors affecting oil markets through 2045, as well as strategic areas for investment and key growth drivers.

IAE 2024 is an exclusive forum designed to foster collaboration between European investors and African energy markets. Taking place May 14-15, 2024, in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors, and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.invest-africa-energy.com.