The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council convened senior American and Emirati stakeholders for a dinner held in honor of His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and its subsidiaries, and his accompanying corporate delegation from the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) in Houston, Texas on Tuesday. The event, held in conjunction with the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC 2014), featured remarks by the Honorable Michael H. Corbin, U.S. Ambassador to the U.A.E., and a discussion with Emirati leaders in the energy sector, moderated by Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council.
Following welcome remarks from Sebright, Ambassador Corbin presented his perspectives on the broader trade and commercial relationship between the U.S. and U.A.E., before narrowing focus on the energy sector. In his comments, Corbin noted the importance of international engagement among global players in the oil and gas field and related industries. He highlighted America’s history of commercial and educational partnership with the U.A.E. within the energy sector and new developments supporting the U.A.E.’s broader economic diversification goals.
“The United Arab Emirates and the United States share a traditional energy sector relationship that spans decades and is founded upon a joint interest in providing thought leadership and innovation,” said Ambassador Corbin. “The presence in Houston this week of the large Emirati delegation led by ADNOC Director General His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi and the continued success of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in the U.A.E. is testament to these strong ties.”
H.E. Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADNOC (left) and Mr. Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Director of Strategy and Coordination, ADNOC (center) met with
H.E. Yousef Al Otaiba, U.A.E. Ambassador to the U.S. (third from left), the Honorable Michael H. Corbin, U.S. Ambassador to the U.A.E. (fourth from right),
and several government and industry leaders on Monday at OTC 2014
Following Ambassador Corbin’s remarks, Sebright introduced Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Director of Strategy and Coordination at ADNOC, to provide the audience with an overview of the importance to the U.A.E.’s engagement with the U.S. in the oil and gas sector. In his comments, Mr. Al Shamsi noted that American firms have been instrumental in the transfer of energy technology, human resources, and know-how while maintaining strong support of the U.A.E.’s vision for economic diversification away from a reliance on oil and gas. He went on to underscore several commercial ties between American firms and ADNOC and its subsidiary companies.
Mr. Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Director of Strategy and Coordination at ADNOC, addresses industry leaders at Tuesday night’s dinner in honor of the visiting Emirati delegation from ADNOC and its subsidiary companies
“ADNOC and its subsidiaries look to American and international industry partners to deliver and co-develop innovative pathways for commercial partnership in the oil and gas and related sectors,” said Al Shamsi. “We look forward to OTC every year as an opportunity to enhance upon existing partnerships and create new lasting relationships with our fellow global energy stakeholders.” Mr. al Shamsi implored U.S. companies to attend ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi in November and said that opportunities for new business and partnership were ripe for further discussion.
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi and the senior delegation are in Houston, Texas to exhibit and meet industry counterparts at OTC 2014 and attend a multitude of events with industry and government leaderson the sidelines of the conference. Ambassador Corbin, U.A.E. Ambassador to the U.S. His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, and their staffs are in Houston this week for OTC, meeting with local stakeholders, and taking part in off-site events.
