THE International Energy Conference and Expo Guyana (IECE) 2023 was officially launched on Friday evening at a cocktail reception at the Marriott Hotel, where the event was touted to be a much-anticipated one on the 2023 calendar.

The evening saw the feature address being delivered by Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, while there were also remarks from Exxon Mobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge; Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat; and IECE Chief Executive Officer Angenie Abel; and Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) Paul Cheong, among others.

Also in attendance at the event were US Ambassador Sarah Ann-Lynch; Indian High Commissioner Dr. K. J. Srinivasa; and Mayor of Georgetown Ubraj Narine.

The Conference is slated for February 14 – 17, 2023, and is being celebrated under the theme, “Harnessing Energy for Development”. During his remarks, Prime Minister Phillips conveyed the government’s continued support for the event, and for the prudent management of Guyana’s oil-and-gas sector.

The PM commended the organisers behind the event for what they were able to put forward in the first hosting of the event, and noted how anticipated an annual feature it has already become, notwithstanding that it’s just the second hosting.

“What they did under the leadership of Mr. Anthony Whyte is, in the shortest possible time, deliver an internationally-accepted Energy Conference that made all of Guyana proud. This has now become an annual feature for us in Guyana, and every year we will look forward to it being better than the previous year,” the Prime Minister noted.

“What was created was an opportunity for direct and indirect stakeholders in the oil-and-gas and energy sector in Guyana to have an opportunity for discourse, and opportunity to distill ideas so things can be done better next time around. We all look forward to 2023, and we all expect a better conference in 2023.

IECE 2022
The IECE 2022 was held at the Marriott Hotel from February 15 – 18, where the focus was on putting Guyana at the centre of the global discourse on energy, oil and gas, and sustainable development.

Speaking at Friday’s launch, Abel noted that the goal for 2023 will be to facilitate conversations between energy professionals and policymakers, with a key focus on including discussions on agriculture, mining, housing, forestry and tourism, and how we can utilise and invest in our resources for a greener Guyana, and, ultimately, a greener world.

“Our success in February 2022 has catapulted our effort in a greater direction, as we now plan to host the International Energy Conference 2023. One of our goals for the next edition is to deepen the discourse, extending our reach into areas of new energy research, and ensuring that there is growth and diversity in nationality of persons that come here to participate,” she noted.

PSC’s Chairman Cheong, in his remarks, highlighted the extensive opportunities created by the hosting of the IECE, and noted the private sector’s continued support of the event.

“Forums like these,” he said, “expose us to new opportunities for growth; participation in the last conference provided space for major networking and partnerships. The upcoming conference will be another occasion to build on those opportunities made; it will provide an opportunity for us to get to understand the industry, and not only oil, but the ‘renewables’ as well. We are living in a rapidly changing energy and landscape, and conferences like these help to keep us up-to-date with newer and more efficient technology.”

Cheong shared that following the last Conference, the private sector in Guyana has seen renewed interest from foreign businesses and organisations that wish to partner with Guyanese companies.
“The Commission is very optimistic about Guyana’s future,” he noted.

In making brief remarks, Routledge noted how happy ExxonMobil Guyana is to be a part of the event as a platinum sponsor.

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) is also a platinum sponsor of the event, and a pre-recorded video message by Company CEO Damian Blackburn was also delivered during the launch. During the launch, several of the event’s sponsors were presented with plaques in appreciation of their support.

Minister Bharrat, in his remarks, called the event “a conference with a difference”, and noted that the event is in line with the development picture that the government has for the country.