SABIC CEO calls for global collaboration in support of sustainability at annual GPCA Forum

• “Access to low-cost capital, innovative technology, and specialized skills will have to be facilitated through much more international collaboration.”

Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, SABIC CEO and Chairman of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), stressed the importance of global collaboration in addressing international environmental concerns at the 18^th Annual Forum of the Association held for the first time in Muscat from December 2 to 5.

In his welcome address, Al-Fageeh said, “The chemical industry has plenty to be optimistic about. So, that’s why it makes sense to prepare itself now for the long term… It needs to embrace the concept of sustainability. But to do this, it will need to design, build, and run facilities according to the state of the art.  So, access to low-cost capital, innovative technology, and specialized skills will have to be facilitated through much more international collaboration. That’s what the GPCA Annual Forum is for.”

This year, the Forum discussed important themes, including clean energy transition, sustainability, empowerment of future leaders, the challenge of feeding the world, the impact of geopolitics on the chemical industry, innovation, and much more.

On the Forum’s first day, the 6^th GPCA Legacy Award “Al-Rowad” recognized Dr. Mohamed Hamed Al-Rumhy, Oman’s Minister of Oil & Gas (1997 – 2020) and Minister of Energy and Minerals (2020 – 2022), for his contribution toward the advancement of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf.

The Forum also introduced improved features this year including the 2^nd GPCA Solutions Xchange Program on December 3 and 4 and the 3^rd edition of the GPCA Youth Forum. For the first time this year, the Forum hosted the inaugural GPCA Startup Nexus, a new GPCA initiative which aims to foster innovation and collaboration by bridging the gap between the start-up ecosystem and the chemicals and petrochemicals sector in the region.

This year’s forum also featured a GPCA Sustainability Pavilion, reflecting the region’s commitment toward a more sustainable future for the chemical and petrochemical industries. The pavilion offered an interactive space to explore the industry’s technologies and innovations, including carbon capture and storage, circular economy initiatives, hydrogen technologies, and sustainable energy solutions.

The GPCA member companies account for over 95% of the chemical output in the Gulf region. The chemical industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region.

Established in 2006, the GPCA is the voice of the petrochemical and chemical industries in the Gulf region, promotes the common interests of the member companies, and highlights their achievements at international forums as prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals industry.