Urja Khabar
Russia; The Russian Energy Week (REW) International Forum was held for the seventh time from September 26–28, 2024, in Moscow, with the theme of 'Energy Cooperation in a Multipolar World'. It was attended by government officials from different countries, the CEOs of major Russian and international energy companies and organizations, scientists, and experts.All in all, more than 5,300 participants from 81 countries, including major stakeholders in the energy sector (such as hydropower), took part in the Forum.
Nepal, one of the world leaders in terms of per capita hydropower potential, was also invited to the Forum but unfortunately, the relevant authorities were unable to attend the event.
According to the organizers, the largest delegations were from China, Venezuela, Iran, the UAE, and South Africa. The Forum once again affirmed its status as a key industry platform, with a high level of interest from foreign participants, reflecting that a multipolar world order is becoming an objective reality, despite counterproductive actions from certain Western countries. The keynote speech was delivered by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.
Several high-ranking officials attended the Forum, including the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo; Venezuelan Vice President and Minister of Petroleum, Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez; and Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister, Viktor Karankevich. Additionally, numerous foreign ministers and officials were present, including Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Esmat Mahmoud; Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Ibrahim Ali Badawi; Iranian Minister of Energy, Abbas Aliabadi; Myanmar's Minister of Electricity, Nyan Tun; Pakistan's Federal Minister of Petroleum and Water Resources, Musadik Masood Malik; and South African Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho David Ramokgopa. The Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Mohamed Hamel, was also in attendance, along with 35 heads of the diplomatic corps.
In total, over 1,250 representatives from Russian and foreign businesses, spanning more than 260 companies, took part. The Forum’s business program featured roughly 55 events with 350 speakers, divided into five pillars: ‘International Agenda: Cooperation for Development,’ ‘Sustainable Energy Development,’ ‘Technology and Data as the Foundation of Leadership,’ ‘Development of Russia’s Fuel and Energy Industry Sectors: Strategy and Regulation,’ and ‘Socially Oriented Fuel and Energy Industry.’
During the plenary session, President Putin emphasized that Russia remains a global leader in the nuclear sector and will further solidify this status through the national project ‘New Nuclear and Energy Technologies,’ which is set to launch next year. Other prominent figures at the plenary sessions included Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy Sergey Tsivilev, and Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin.
The REW agenda placed a strong focus on international cooperation, including a dedicated session on energy cooperation between Russia and Africa, the annual meeting of the BRICS Energy Research Platform, and discussions on global industry trends. A notable event was the meeting of BRICS energy ministers, a significant milestone during Russia's BRICS chairmanship year.
On the sidelines of the Forum, there were meetings of the Coordinating Council for Import Substitution of Oil and Gas Equipment and the State Council’s Energy Commission, which focused on enhancing the reliability and efficiency of Russia's power grid.
Exhibition of Equipment and Technologies for the Fuel and Energy Industry
An exhibition at the Gostiny Dvor exhibition complex showcased more than 50 major companies, equipment suppliers, and technology manufacturers from across the fuel and energy industry. The exhibition aimed to highlight effective strategies for the development of the energy sector and foster international and inter-industry collaborations. Over 5,400 people visited the exhibition, which featured projects, breakthrough technologies, innovative equipment, and solutions already in use for the extraction, processing, transmission, and distribution of energy resources. The exhibition was divided into several thematic areas: ‘Gas,’ ‘Oil,’ ‘Coal,’ ‘Electric Power,’ ‘Nuclear,’ ‘Renewable Energy Sources,’ ‘Petroleum Chemistry,’ and ‘Metrology in the Fuel and Energy Industry.’
Agreements During the Program
During the Forum, 28 agreements and memoranda of cooperation were signed between various companies and government organizations. Notably, an agreement of intent was signed between the Russian Government and the Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programmes of the RUSNANO Group for the development of electricity storage systems. Federal Hydro-Generating Company RusHydro also signed several cooperation agreements, including one with KAMA for the development of electric charging infrastructure and electric mobility. RusHydro also expressed interest in purchasing an ATOM electric vehicle as part of a participation program.
Note: The feature photo of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, was originally published by kremlin.ru.
