Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Falih and Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser will speak at the World Energy Congress to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, in October.

The World Energy Congress, to be held from October 9 to 13, is the most inclusive global energy event and the first since COP21. It brings together all nations, all forms of energy and all stakeholders in a neutral environment.

Al-Falih joins the industry’s elite at the congress, including BP’s Bob Dudley, Gazprom’s Alexey Miller and EDF’s Jean-Bernard Lévy. Additionally, top executives from Royal Dutch Shell, GE, Total, ENGIE, VNG, DESFA, and China National Nuclear will speak at the congress on major issues facing the energy industry.

Other speakers include representatives from intergovernmental and international organisations, including the EU, the IEA and the WWF, as well as ministers from Iran, Iraq, UAE, Jordan, Germany, Switzerland, Algeria, Nigeria and Uruguay, among others.

Security is key at such a high-level gathering and the World Energy Congress has appointed New York-headquartered The Soufan Group to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the extensive security preparations for the event.

Murat Mercan, chair of the Organising Committee for the 2016 World Energy Congress, said: “Khalid Al-Falih’s attendance once again underlines the calibre of our 260 confirmed speakers - it is a “who’s who” of the entire energy sector. The event will be a crucial gathering to set the agenda for the energy landscape for years to come.

"We are also delighted to appoint The Soufan Group with their outstanding expertise to work for the safety of our delegates, staff and exhibitors," Mercan said.

Ali Soufan, CEO of The Soufan Group, noted: “We are honoured to be appointed to undertake an assessment of the security preparations underway for the 2016 World Energy Congress. One of the most prestigious events in the energy calendar, it is a truly market-leading event attracting the world’s most influential industry leaders. We will work tirelessly with the organisers to ensure that best safety standards and practices are in place during the Congress.”

The triennial World Energy Congress is the World Energy Council’s global flagship event, the premier international, multi-energy forum to better understand energy issues and solutions from a global perspective.

The World Energy Congress has gained recognition since the first event in 1924 as the premier global forum for industry leaders to debate solutions to energy issues, display their technologies and explore business opportunities.

The Soufan Group is an international strategic advisory firm that focuses on global security issues. Headquartered in New York, and with offices in Chicago, London, Doha and Singapore and operations in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, The Soufan Group provides management consulting, business intelligence, policy analysis, risk assessment, technical support and training services.  - TradeArabia News Service