OPEC Secretary-General: Kuwait Played a Major Role in Founding OPEC+
Haitham Al-Ghaiss affirmed Kuwait and Algeria's pivotal role in founding the OPEC+ alliance during his visit to Algeria to commemorate the 2016 agreement.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al-Ghais confirmed on Tuesday that Kuwait played a major role in preliminary consultations aimed at bridging differences among several countries, thereby contributing to the establishment of the OPEC+ alliance.
In a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the sidelines of his visit to Algeria, Al-Ghais noted that “during the period preceding the (Algeria Declaration) in September 2016, and following the signing of the agreement establishing OPEC+ in December of the same year, I closely monitored Kuwait’s role during this sensitive phase.”
He emphasized that “what Kuwait did is not out of character, given its diplomatic acumen. Kuwait played a significant role in fostering an atmosphere of dialogue and understanding during the preparation of the agreement by adopting an approach similar to diplomatic consultation, which helped cultivate a spirit of teamwork.”
He added, “At that time, I was Kuwait’s Governor to OPEC, and I was very close to the events. I witnessed the tremendous efforts made by government officials to build communication bridges with certain countries at a time when communication between nations was particularly difficult.”
He pointed out that “the roles of other countries, such as Algeria, cannot be overlooked, but the combined efforts of all parties contributed to reaching and successfully implementing the Algeria Agreement, which culminated in the establishment of OPEC+. These efforts bore fruit by ensuring the stability of global oil markets.”
Al-Ghais returned to discuss the talks he held with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, affirming that he “listened to his advice and guidance regarding the way forward for the organization, the importance of maintaining cooperation among oil-producing countries within the framework of OPEC+, and the stability of oil and energy markets in general.”
For his part, Al-Ghais revealed that his visit to Algeria “came on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Algeria Agreement, which laid the cornerstone for the subsequent OPEC+ agreement in December 2016,” considering it “the first step before establishing the operational mechanism and follow-up procedures for implementing the agreement.”
Finally, the OPEC Secretary General extended special greetings to “the Algerian President, his government, and Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab, for their stances throughout history and the support they have provided to the organization in recent years, as well as their initiatives to foster an atmosphere of consensus, understanding, and dialogue among member countries.”
Al-Ghais began his working visit to Algeria on Sunday, holding talks on its first day with Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab and Minister of Energy Mourad Oualalou on developments in the global oil market, its future prospects, and the major challenges facing the global oil industry.
