Ambassador Arne Walther, the first ever Secretary-General of the Riyadh based International Energy Forum Secretariat (IEFS), is leaving finally after completing his four-year tenure. Over the last few years, the Secretariat, built literally from scratch, has only grown in stature. It has gained a respectful place in the comity of global organizations serving the energy world, albeit with a difference. IEFS has been unique in the sense it is catering to both the producers as well as the consumers. It is a not a party, rather a facilitator, in the global energy dialogue.
As the ambassador’s tenure at the IEFS comes to an end, I vividly recall a misty morning in Riyadh, more than 2 years ago, receiving a call on mobile from a lady introducing her to be from the International Energy Forum Secretariat. The Secretary General of the organization was visiting Dhahran, virtually the global energy capital, and wanted to see me. Although the name IEFS was registered somewhere in my data base, yet I had very little inkling of what the organization was really up to.
Regretfully I had just landed then in Riyadh on an official business, yet couldn’t welcome the secretary general. A few weeks later however, availing of the invitation, I called on the ambassador. And that was the beginning of a relationship that I honor to this day. It seems now we have known each other for a much longer period. He and his spouse Anita have been gracious enough to host me at their residence several times during this period and I owe a number of energized, intellectually stimulating evenings with them.
And in the intervening period, IEFS has traveled a long distance. From the modest, hired premises where IEFS was temporarily housed in the beginning, when finally the sprawling IEFS headquarters was inaugurated on Nov. 19, 2005 by none other than Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah himself, it was a major global event, signifying the importance of the new born. In fact I am told, this was the first time ever, the King has stepped his foot on the diplomatic quarters in Riyadh — and I am in no way to confirm or deny it. Finance and energy ministers from all around the world, besides leading luminaries had made it a point to be present on the occasion, underlining the importance of energy and the IEFS to the world.
And the IEFS has not looked back since then. It has made a niche for itself in the comity of organizations serving the energy world. Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Minewral Resources Ali Al-Naimi hence admits, “The IEF Secretariat, having begun its work only four years ago, has become a respected international energy body.” And my friend, if I dare call him so, Arne Walther is to be credited for all this.
Au Revoir Ambassador!
The idea of dialogue between the producers and consumers, the very basis of the IEFS is not very new, yet giving it a formal shape was not that easy too. Over the past decades, energy producers and consumers have mostly remained on the opposite sides of the global energy spectrum. The 90s have thus witnessed a “paradigm shift.” With realization on both sides that ground realities are dictating the parties involved in this “mud slinging” to come on board and delineate a common, rather conciliatory, path, the very idea of dialogue germinated.
Thus began the ministerial workshops, slowly and gradually blossoming into International Energy Conferences, and culminating in a permanent secretariat to pursue the dialogue process in a systematic, organized manner. And significantly the idea of a permanent secretariat was the brainchild of no less than the then Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who floated the idea during the Riyadh ministerial in 2000. Global climate had indeed undergone massive transformation from the heady days of 70s and 80s.
Besides facilitating the consumer-producer dialogue, so very essential for the continuation of this energy driven civilization of ours, IEFS is also to be credited for hosting talks of eminent energy personalities, from Fatih Birol to Gay Caruso and Gerald Doucet to Mani Shankar Aiyer and personally to me it has been a treat to be present on most of these occasions. These talks have definitely contributed to the glamour of Riyadh — the capital of world’s largest oil producer.
Within a few years of its inception, the IEFS is also to be credited for the Joint Oil Data Initiative, available publicly. After four eventful years, and assembling a wonderful team at the IEFS headquarters in Riyadh, Ambassador Arne Walther is handing over the rein to Dr. Noe van Hulst, who has a task in hand “in continuing the marathon of global energy dialogue and cooperation.” We all wish him all success in his endeavors.
