JEDDAH, 19 November 2006 — Eastern Province Gov. Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd inaugurated the annual meeting of World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP) at Alkhobar’s Le Gulf Meridien yesterday and urged the participants to work for a world free of wars.

“It has been proved through ages that development and progress require a secure and stable world free of wars, tensions, injustice and violence,” he said.

In his keynote address, the governor emphasized Saudi Arabia’s efforts in association with peace-loving people to establish peace, security and stability all over the world.

“Your meeting today in our country is a major step toward realizing positive participation and exchange of expertise for the development of our cities and for promoting cooperation in all areas,” he said.

Mayors and chief executives of 14 cities of industrialized countries are taking part in the three-day event, hosted by the Eastern Province authorities. The WECP aims at encouraging business development and exchanging knowledge and support services. For the cities involved in WECP, their natural primary market sectors are energy and environment-related technology, although the food industry, tourism, and the public sector also are potential sectors for cooperation.

Prince Muhammad said that world civilization is the result of the joint efforts, research and contributions of people all over the globe. “The civilization, progress, science, knowledge and culture that are now prevalent in the world are the outcome of joint work. This outcome is also a joint lesson for everybody,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the governor as telling the conference.

The governor later opened an energy forum in Dammam, which is being attended by 800 delegates including senior executives and experts from Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, France, Germany, Canada, Britain and the United States. Organized by the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the biennial event is titled “Leveraging hydrocarbons to create prosperity.”

Confirmed speakers include Prince Faisal Bin Turki, adviser at the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, Abdullah Al-Naim, vice president of Saudi Aramco for exploration affairs, Patrick Allman-Ward, CEO of South Rub Al-Khali Company, Ramil Shaikhutdinov, president of Luksar Energy, Shicheng Wang, CEO of Sino Saudi Gas, Lorenzo Casati, CEO of EniRepSa Gas, Mohamed Al-Mady, vice chairman and CEO of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC).

Mutlaq Al-Morished, SABIC vice president for corporate finance, Saad Al-Dossari, president and CEO of PETRORABIGH, Mark E. Lashier, project director of Saudi Chevron Phillips, Volker Trautz, CEO of Basell Polyolefins, Dr. Abdul Aziz S. Al-Jarboue, chairman of Eastern Petrochemical Company (Sharq), Desmond Carr, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil Saudi Arabia Inc. are other prominent speakers.

Ali Al-Barak, CEO of Saudi Electricity Company, Omar Al-Ghamdi, CEO of Water & Electricity, Thamer Al-Sharhan, CEO of Marafiq, Dr. Zohair A. Nawab, president of Saudi Geological Survey, Dr. Abdullah Dabbagh, CEO of Maaden, Khaled G. Al-Buainain, Aramco’s vice president for refining, Jean-Jacques Mosconi, Total’s senior vice president for strategy, development, refining and marketing, and Faisal Al-Rasheed, director of investment affairs at the Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu will also address the three-day event.

Key topics to be discussed at the forum are: An update on Saudi Aramco’s gas projects and joint ventures; opportunities in the Kingdom’s petrochemicals industry; contractor, manufacturing and service industry involvement in major projects; and leveraging energy for the power, water and mining sectors.

An exhibition will be held on the sidelines of the forum, the organizers said, adding that it would enable visitors to meet the people in the industry who make key decisions, sell products and services directly to buyers, reinforce their commitment to the marketplace, and introduce new products and services.