Forum focuses on enhancing role of media in supporting energy issues

SALALAH – Acting in cooperation with the GCC Secretariat General, the Ministry of Energy and Minerals organized, in Salalah today, the 5th GCC Petroleum Media Forum.

The forum, attended by energy experts and media professionals from Oman and abroad, discussed ways to enhance the role of the media in supporting energy sector issues. It studied prospects of media in the fields of oil and gas with the aim of upgrading communication and ameliorating cooperation between media professionals and experts.

The chief guest, Mohsin Hamad Al Hadhrami, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, delivered a speech in which he affirmed that “holding the forum in the Sultanate of Oman reflects the close cooperation among GCC states”. He pointed out that the forum seeks to enhance communication and understanding in the fields of oil and gas.

Al Hadhrami added that the forum assumes significance as a podium for exchanging experiences within the context of challenges facing the energy sector.

For his part, Dr. Mohammed Falah Al Rashidi, Director of the Energy Department at the GCC Secretariat General, stressed the importance of the media in guiding public opinion and addressing rumours and misinformation related to oil and gas.

The media, he said, serves as a basic partner in dealing with global developments and challenges facing the energy sector. This, he added, contributes to enhancing energy security, sustainable development and the transition to renewable energy.

Jamal Issa Al Loughani, Secretary General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), presented a visual display which focused on “The importance of oil and natural gas in Arab countries”, the “Prospects and challenges of the future of energy” in the Arab world and globally and the “Role of petroleum media in orientations of the energy scene”.

Dr Amer Nasser Al Matani, CEO of Oman LNG Development Foundation, delivered a speech in which he stressed the need to back efforts aimed at cutting down carbon emissions, accord attention to the environment and develop social responsibility programmes.

The forum’s programme included discussion panels and workshops on developing the skills of media professionals in the field of energy, highlighting energy transformations and asserting the importance of global energy security.

The forum also addressed issues like environmental and social sustainability in the energy sector and the role of media in facing future challenges.

(ONA)