Parecia 007: Cúpula de petróleo em Riad, ataque terrorista e “fuga de CEOs”
Era a primeira vez que o tradicional World Petroleum Congress (WPC) acontecia na Arábia Saudita. O que ninguém imaginava era que o evento em Riad entraria para a história, e não pelos melhores motivos. Com a promessa de reunir representantes de mais de 100 países – entre ministros, CEOs, executivos e técnicos – o evento entre 11 e 15 de outubro começou enquanto os rebeldes Houthis, do Iêmen,…
For the first time, the traditional World Petroleum Congress (WPC) took place in Saudi Arabia, but the event in Riyadh made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Over 100 countries, including ministers, CEOs, executives, and technicians, were expected to attend, with the event running from October 11th to 15th. However, Houthi rebels from Yemen launched attacks against Riyadh's airport on the weekend, killing at least 13 and injuring over 300.
Despite the tension and flight cancellations, the congress continued, with Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman insisting, "the word ‘fear’ has no place in the Saudi dictionary," according to The New York Times. Not everyone was as confident. CEOs from ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies canceled their participation. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright attended via videoconference.
In a new attack, the terrorists struck the headquarters of Saudi Aramco, causing damage and a small fire. A Houthi spokesman said the group would continue targeting Saudi airports and energy infrastructure. The wave of attacks threatens Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's vision of making his kingdom a global stage, part of his Vision 2030 plan to diversify the Saudi economy beyond oil.
The WPC, held every three years, was touted by organizers as "the perfect venue for our Congress," citing Saudi Arabia's desire to position itself as a center of innovation and development in the 21st century and beyond. This month, from October 26th to 29th, the Future Investment Initiative, known as the "Desert Davos," is also scheduled.
This is the tenth edition of the event, featuring CEOs from JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Citi, HSBC, and BlackRock. The Saudi government stated to the Financial Times that both the WPC and FII will proceed. The Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, have been fighting a long conflict with the Yemeni government, which, in turn, is supported by a military coalition led by the Saudis.
Recently, the Iranian-backed group has been involved in attacks on ships in the Red Sea and disputes over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks on Saudi Arabia come after the country resumed its military campaign in Yemen to support the internationally recognized government in reversing Houthi advances the previous month, including the dispute over Bab el-Mandeb.
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