The Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Haitham Al-Ghais, affirmed that, without a doubt, Venezuela has been a key, historical and prominent country, among the five founders of the organization and its historical relationship to over the decades, and President Nicolás Maduro Moros has been a great collaborator and defender of the Organization at all levels.
“The relationship between OPEC and Venezuela is a historical relationship in all its definition. As you know, Venezuela was one of the key founders among the five founding members of OPEC, in 1960 (…) Venezuela has played a key role in all agreements and presidential summits,” Al-Ghais highlighted from the Austrian capital, Vienna. , during an exclusive interview offered to the State channel.
In Austria, the 186th Meeting of the OPEC Conference, the 49th Joint Monitoring Ministerial Committee and the 35th OPEC AND OPEC plus (OPEC+) Ministerial Meeting are held, which will take place this weekend.
Al-Ghais recalled that it was the renowned Venezuelan oil expert, Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonzo, who in 1960 presented the idea of bringing together the five oil-producing and exporting members for the birth of OPEC.
Thus, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela and Kuwait (this last nation, the birthplace of the current secretary), became the parents of OPEC, a world institution that over the years has incorporated other world producers and managed, even , to form an unprecedented and strong association such as OPEC+, with 10 nations such as Russia and others that do not belong to the group since 2017.
“There are many challenges; Throughout the history of OPEC we have had ups and downs, but we have remained together, in unity, unanimity and in the spirit that has been maintained for generations up to these days”. He said that the world cannot depend on a single source of energy and that is why OPEC is investing in renewable energy sources.
The senior oil official stressed that OPEC Plus together with OPEC have been fundamental pillars to maintain the stability of the world market and the balance between supply and demand. Additionally, partner countries are dignitaries of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the organization is investing in technology to reduce the effects of the oil industry’s environmental footprint. “We are united and we are capable of overcoming these challenges with the leadership of the member countries, this is the force that maintains OPEC for many years to come.”
In another part of his statements, he announced that on July 5, Venezuela’s Independence Day, an OPEC seminar will be held, and they will receive the Venezuelan team and hold a special commemoration of the former secretary, Álvaro Silva Calderón, who he will be invited to Vienna where he will be presented with a decoration.
“We hope to see VTV and other media from Venezuela, to join the OPEC family in the seminar where there will be intellectuals from member countries and from all over the world, where we will have ideas and brainstorm…where everyone can talk about the energy industry and the energy transition and the challenges we will be facing in the future”.
