Oil Ministry issues a statement regarding Baghdad's hosting of OPEC’s founding celebration

INA-  Baghdad


 The Ministry of Oil issued Wednesday a statement on the occasion of Baghdad's hosting of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
 
A statement by the ministry, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), said that "the capital Baghdad will host the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in the People's Hall, which witnessed on September 14, 1960 the signing by five oil-producing and exporting countries: Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the State of Kuwait and the Republic of Venezuela, to declare the independence of the decision in the management of oil resources and break the monopoly of foreign companies."
 
 
"This occasion was scheduled to be celebrated in September 2020 at the People's Hall in the capital, Baghdad, but the celebration of this historic event was postponed several times due to the Corona pandemic and its effects on public health and travel," it added, noting that "in the interest of Iraq and OPEC, to commemorate and celebrate the occasion in Baghdad, to reaffirm the importance of solidarity and unity among member states for the stability and balance of the global oil market."
 
The statement stated that "the Iraqi government and the Ministry of Oil welcomed the hosting of this celebration in Baghdad, 63 years after the emergence of OPEC from Baghdad."
 
Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs - Minister of Oil Hayyan Abdul Ghani, stressed "the importance of holding the celebration in Baghdad more than 6 decades after the establishment of OPEC, and welcomed Iraq's guests from OPEC members in Baghdad, Baghdad civilization and history."
 
He praised the "Cooperation and Joint Solidarity Agreement of (OPEC Plus)," expressing "the pride of Iraq and its people in hosting ministers and delegations of OPEC member countries, and celebrating together in the People's Hall in Baghdad, the achievements made over the past decades."
For his part, the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Haitham Al-Ghais, said according to the statement, "Holding this celebration is an opportunity for all members of the OPEC family to reflect, review its exceptional history, celebrate its successes, and renew its commitment to the established principles and policy on which the organization was founded."
The OPEC Secretary-General stressed "the keenness of the ministers of the member countries to come to Baghdad and meet in the place from which the organization was launched in 1960 to express feelings of joy, joy and love for this city, which represents an important part of OPEC history and human history."

The statement added that "the Ministry of Oil, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, is preparing a distinguished festive program to be held in Baghdad commensurate with the value of the event and the importance of OPEC and its role in the stability of global oil markets, which includes a number of cultural and artistic activities, including the opening of the Baghdad International Caricature Forum - 2023 for oil and energy, a book exhibition specialized in oil and energy affairs, an exhibition of fine arts and ceramics about the present, history and civilization of Iraq, in addition to various artistic and folkloric performances."
The Ministry of Oil initiated the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the People's Hall in Baghdad in preparation for hosting this celebration.
 
OPEC is an international organization founded at the historic Baghdad Conference held on September 10-14, 1960 in the presence of the oil ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Iraq, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Venezuela, and the organization has since grown to include in its membership today 13 oil-producing countries.