The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be the first country among the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to host the next World Energy Congress.

The crucial event for the energy sector will take place in Abu Dhabi from Sept. 7 to 14, 2019.

The congress, held every three years and positioned as the flagship event of the World Energy Council, is the longest-running and most influential energy event in the world, according to organizers.

Matar Al-Neyadi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and the chairperson of the organizing committee, recently signed the Project Management Office (PMO) contract with Energy Events Experts (E3) to ensure the success of this milestone event.

Suhail Al-Mazrouei, UAE minister of energy and chairperson of the UAE National Committee, attended the signing ceremony.

The congress brings together heads of state, energy ministers from around the world, as well as global energy leaders and stakeholders to lead the global energy debate.

The next World Energy Congress will take place in Abu Dhabi following a successful international bid that Abu Dhabi won at the executive assembly of the World Energy Council in 2014.

The Abu Dhabi Congress is envisioned to be the most successful World Energy Congress in history since its inception in 1924.

“When the UAE decided to enter the bid to organize the 2019 World Energy Congress, it did so to with the vision to deliver the best congress in its more than 90 years of history,” said Minister Al-Mazrouei.

“We have appointed the experts who will ensure that the vision of success of the 2019 World Energy Congress vision is delivered.”

Following a competitive tender held in 2016, the organizing committee appointed Energy Events Experts (E3), a team of leading professionals with more than 20 years’ experience in delivering premium events for the energy sector worldwide, as the promoter of the 2019 World Energy Congress on behalf of the organizing committee.

“The planning and execution of a global event of this magnitude requires sophisticated organizational and execution skills,” said M. Al-Neyadi, chairperson of the committee.

“We conducted a thorough process to study the key lessons of preceding congresses and identified a need to bring an experienced PMO to support the complex work to coordinate thousands of energy stakeholders from around the world, as well as a multifaceted group of event-related organizations,” he added.

“Appointing the PMO three years in advance will ensure the efficient and viable delivery of the best World Energy Congress in the history of the World Energy Council,” he said.

The E3 leadership, represented by its Managing Director Alexis Neron-Bancel, said that all their energies would be devoted to delivering the best possible congress for all the stakeholders involved.

The 2019 Abu Dhabi World Energy Congress will be the first congress to take place in a MENA country.