DUBAI: Relations between India and the Arabian Gulf will figure prominently when 4,000 leaders from the worlds of business, politics and Hollywood celebrity descend on Dubai on Sunday for the formal opening of the 2018 World Government Summit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, which has been named guest country this year, will deliver the inaugural address on day one of the three day event, in a line up that also features the themes of artificial intelligence, robotics and space travel, which are among the UAE’s man policy priorities.
Mohamed Al-Gergawi, the UAE’s minister for cabinet affairs and the future, who will open the event alongside Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum, said the summit — now in its sixth year — “has become a permanent knowledge event available to all governments and their activities throughout the year. Through the summit, we seek to create new models for economic co-operation.”
More than 120 sessions will focus on the theme of the 2018 summit, “Shaping future governments.”
A special section of the event, entitled “From India to the world,” will discuss the country’s development in technology, innovation and services, highlighting India’s advances in health care and education.
Leaders of Indian business and public policy will address the question “Will India lead the global economy of the future?”
The UAE has the largest number of Indian immigrants and guest workers in the world.
In addition to the high-level policymakers at the event, Hollywood stars Robert De Niro and Forrest Whittaker will also lead panels on climate change and gender issues.
Some of the attendees gathered yesterday (Sat) for a series of informal sessions on the theme of “Happiness”, which the UAE has identified as the main aim of its public policy.
Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, will speak on the subject of “using the global recovery to create a fairer world,” but is also likely to discuss the recent turbulence in global financial markets. She warned in January — before the share price falls of last week — that there were still threats to the stability of the world financial system.
Adena Friedman, president and chief executive of the New York based Nasdaq stock exchange, will offer her opinions on “how to tame a volatile market.”
From Saudi Arabia, Bandar Hajjjar, president of the Islamic Development Bank, will participate in a discussion with other leading figures from the world of developmental finance on the theme “catalizing regional development.”
Sultan bin Suleyam, chairman of global ports business DP World, will be questioned on the issue of “smart trade, transport and logistics solutions.”
Four global awards have also been organized to coincide with the summit. The winners of the GovTech Prize, Best Minister Award, Edge of Government Innovation Award and Global Universities Challenge Award will all be announced at the event.
India, robotics and space on the agenda at Dubai World Government Summit
India, robotics and space on the agenda at Dubai World Government Summit
European gas prices soar almost 50% as Iran conflict halts Qatar LNG output
- Analysts warn prolonged disruption could push prices higher
- Some shipments of oil, LNG through Strait of Hormuz suspended
- Benchmark Asian LNG price up almost 39 percent
LONDON: Benchmark Dutch and British wholesale gas prices soared by almost 50 percent on Monday, after major liquefied natural gas exporter Qatar Energy said it had halted production due to attacks in the Middle East.
Qatar, soon to cement its role as the world’s second largest LNG exporter after the US, plays a major role in balancing both Asian and European markets’ demand of LNG.
Most tanker owners, oil majors and trading houses have suspended crude oil, fuel and liquefied natural gas shipments via the Strait of Hormuz, trade sources said, after Tehran warned ships against moving through the waterway.
Europe has increased imports of LNG over the past few years as it seeks to phase out Russian gas following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Around 20 percent of the world’s LNG transits through the Strait of Hormuz and a prolonged suspension or full closure would increase global competition for other sources of the gas, driving up prices internationally.
“Disruptions to LNG flows would reignite competition between Asia and Europe for available cargoes,” said Massimo Di Odoardo, vice president, gas and LNG research at Wood Mackenzie.
The Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub, seen as a benchmark price for Europe, was up €14.56 at €46.52 per megawatt hour, or around $15.92/mmBtu, by 12:55 p.m. GMT, ICE data showed.
Prices were already some 25 percent higher earlier in the day but extended gains after QatarEnergy’s production halt.
Benchmark Asian LNG prices jumped almost 39 percent on Monday morning with the S&P Global Energy Japan-Korea-Marker, widely used as an Asian LNG benchmark, at $15.068 per million British thermal units, Platts data showed.
“If LNG/gas markets start to price in an extended period of losses to Qatari LNG supply, TTF could potentially spike to 80-100 euros/MWh ($28-35/mmBtu),” Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy at ING, said. The British April contract was up 40.83 pence at 119.40 pence per therm, ICE data showed.
Europe is also relying on LNG imports to help fill its gas storage sites which have been depleted over the winter and are currently around 30 percent full, the latest data from Gas Infrastructure Europe showed. In the European carbon market, the benchmark contract was down €1.10 at €69.17 a tonne
