CARTAGENA, Colombia (23 October 2014)—The World Energy Council (WEC) announced that Abu Dhabi has won the bid to host the 2019 World Energy Congress, the premier triennial gathering of the energy sector.
The announcement follows a vote by the World Energy Council’s member countries in a meeting held within the organization’s annual Executive Assembly in Cartagena, Colombia. In a closely contested campaign Abu Dhabi beat Rio de Janeiro to become the site for the 24th World Energy Congress.
“Congratulations to the UAE for winning the bid to host the 2019 Congress,” said Marie-José Nadeau, chair of the World Energy Council. “The World Energy Council’s Congress is an extremely influential event gathering the world’s energy leaders to address the challenges of providing sustainable energy supplies. The Abu Dhabi and Rio de Janeiro bid teams presented strong cases to host the event, and it is clear that both cities and countries are leaders in energy. “The World Energy Council looks forward to working closely with the Abu Dhabi 2019 Congress Organising Committee over the next years to prepare for yet another excellent Congress.”
The UAE’s win represents the first time that the Congress will be held in the Gulf States.
“I would like to thank the member committees of the World Energy Council for their support to our candidacy,” said His Excellency Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE minister of energy and chair of the UAE National Committee. “Hosting the 2019 World Energy Congress is a key milestone for the UAE energy sector and stands as recognition that Abu Dhabi plays as the epicenter for the future of energy. Our work to create the best World Energy Congress the WEC has seen starts tomorrow, and we are looking forward working with the World Energy Council’s National Committees to create an inclusive and unique Congress.”
At the meeting, the WEC also announced that the 2016 World Energy Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, will be held from 10 to 13 October 2016.
The triennial World Energy Congress has gained recognition since the first event in 1924 as the premier global forum for leaders and thinkers to debate solutions to energy issues. In addition to the discussions, the event provides an opportunity for executives to showcase their technologies and explore business opportunities. The last Congress in Daegu, South Korea, attracted more than 7,000 delegates from 123 countries including 52 ministers.
Russia, which initially intended to bid for the 2019 event, had decided instead to focus on a bid for the World Energy Council’s 25th Congress in 2022.