The energy security is a key risk for growth and development in the Middle East and North Africa region, according to a corporate risk study by the World Economic Forum.

The report, conducted in collaboration with Oliver Wyman Management Consultancy, identifies the region's highly energy intensive growth and underinvestment in infrastructure as mutually reinforcing chronic risks.

It recommends integrated management strategies for businesses and governments within the Mena countries to increase their system's resilience.

'There are around 30 new refinery projects to be completed by 2013 (50 per cent of them are in Saudi Arabia and Iran). With oil prices showing signs of revival, the security market has never been more critical,' said Sasidharan Chandran, civil security research analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

'Moreover, in line with the UAE Government's vision of generating seven per cent of electricity from renewable sources, huge investments are planned in the area of alternative energy and therefore forming a critical target to terrorists,' Chandran pointed out.

The report comes ahead of a key summit to be held in Abu Dhabi which will address the latest threats and define the capabilities needed to enhance security for energy infrastructure through a series of country briefings and industry updates.

The 'Annual Security for Energy Infrastructure Summit' is being organised by The International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC) at Le Royal Meridien in the UAE capital from December 12 to 15.

The event will focus exclusively on advanced strategies to optimise security for energy infrastructure and mitigate
threats in the Mena region.

Experts from leading oil and gas firms, solution providers, government bodies and authorities, including: Dubai Petroleum, Bahrain Ministry of Electricity and Water, Reliance Industries, Gasco, Enoc and National Security Institute will take part.

The summit will address the latest threats and define the capabilities needed to enhance security for energy infrastructure through a series of country briefings and industry updates.

Samir Raslan, former general manager Industrial Security at Saudi Aramco will provide an overview of the Mena region's latest security threats.
 
HS Pannu, group president, Corporate Security & Vigilance at Reliance Industries Limited, will deliver a case study on the successful implementation of security planning and vigilance in India.
 
Fatma Ismail, security team leader at Dubai Petroleum and one of the expert speakers at the summit, stressed the importance of the topic: 'Security used to be low profile in an organization, due to the stability in the Middle East.

'After the 9/11 events, the security awareness has raised worldwide and particularly in the Middle East. As an organization we have to protect our assets to the highest level in a manner that it will not hamper our daily operations,' she said.

The summit will also discuss industry standards and highlight the important role government authorities play in providing security for the energy infrastructure.

Accordingly, Peter Darcy, head of National Security Institute at The Ministry of Interior in Abu Dhabi, will deliver a paper on the regulatory advances the UAE has made in getting private security recognized by the UN.-TradeArabia News Service