Istanbul to host World Energy Congress starting Oct. 9

By Dilara Zengin

ANKARA (AA) - The 23rd World Energy Congress 2016 in Istanbul will bring together hundreds of leaders and representatives of the sector with the participation of decision and policy-makers between Oct. 9-13.

The congress will be co-hosted by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak, and held under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The triennial event, for which Anadolu Agency will be the Global Communication Partner, will open at the Istanbul Congress Valley on Sunday, Oct. 9.

The congress will witness exchanges among policymakers from several countries central to the energy field. Russia's President Vladimir Putin will also attend.

Along with Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission’s vice-president for the energy union, and Khalid El-Falih, Russia's energy minister, ministers of energy, the environment, the economy and industry from some 54 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Venezuela, Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Algeria, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Argentina, Bolivia, and Uruguay, among others, will convene at the congress to steer the global energy agenda.

Under the theme “Embracing New Frontiers,” the congress program will lead delegates through the current and critical issues facing the energy industry.

The four-day program will open with a focus on future visions for the global energy industry. Day two will focus on business opportunities and resource management, as well as responses to new challenges of adaptation and innovation to ensure a secure, reliable energy system. Day three will lead with discussions of policy implications, with sessions designed to address the necessary institutional change to balance the World Energy Trilemma – energy security, energy equity, and environmental sustainability.

- Day 4: Africa

The final day will be dedicated to Africa, with sessions exploring critical drivers and innovations working to secure a sustainable energy future for the region.

The umbrella topic on the final day will be "Africa: Securing a Sustainable Energy Future," to be discussed in eight separate sessions.

- Energy giants, international finance

The 266 speakers from 80 countries at the world’s most comprehensive energy event will include CEOs and top executives of global energy giants such as BP, Gazprom, Royal Dutch Shell, GE, Total, Saudi Aramco, Rosatom, SOCAR, Lukoil, OMV, EDF, EnBW, ENGIE, TANAP, E.ON, Wintershall, VNG, DESFA, and the China National Nuclear Corporation.

Additionally, top technology companies including Bosch, Siemens, DHL, Silver Spring Networks, ThyssenKrupp, and Westinghouse will guide the debate on future innovative trends.

Top executives from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, OPEC Fund for International Development, Development Bank of Latin America, Goldman Sachs, and ING will join in to discuss the financing of global energy transitions.

- Paperless congress

For the first time in its history, the congress will be paperless, with all information-sharing and programming to be conducted on digital platforms.