Shimali hosts Kuwaiti oil delegation in Vietnam

Kuwaiti Minister of Oil and Board Chairman of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) Mustafa Al-Shimali hosted a reception here in honor of the Kuwaiti delegation which took part in the landmark inauguration of the Nghi Son Petrochemical Refinery Complex Project. Stressing the project is a cornerstone in the state's oil strategy, Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI) Managing Director Bakheet Al-Rashidi noted, "Exceptional events like this one merit such exceptional and elite attendance ... to witness this historical development." Senior oil officials started to arrive here Sunday evening, with the delegation headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil and KPC Board Chairman Mustafa Al-Shimali. The delegation includes KPC board members, KPC Managing Director Nizar Al-Adsani and the corporation's Europe board members along with top managers at KPC and affiliates. Recognizing the contributions of past leaders of the oil sector and former oil ministers, Al-Rashidi re-stressed the strategic importance of the project for marketing Kuwaiti oil products on the long-term. He also pointed out the project would bring Kuwaiti professionals in the sector invaluable experience and training opportunities. The project is of great importance to the host country as well, he remarked, and the Government of Vietnam had already initiated infrastructure projects including highways, residential areas, and hotels in the refinery region, which also means local job opportunities. Also in the pipelines are projects to construct schools in the area as part of KPI's social accountability strategy. Furthermore, he said, KPC is willing to provide training opportunities for Vietnamese workers in the refining sector in Kuwait, in the spirit of exchange of expertise and improving efficiency. For his part, Board Chairman and CEO of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) Mohammad Ghazi Al-Mutairi praised the commitment of the new management of the oil sector, describing the board members at KPC as "treasures" and stressing the sector is in need of their counsel and expertise. He also praised the determination and firmness on the part of KPC Managing Director Nizar Al-Adsani. Al-Mutairi also praised the harmony in the new KPC top management, noting its wise decision to support all feasible initiatives proposed by the sector's Executive Officers. He specifically praised Al-Rashidi's decisions, and noted he is a leader worthy of all support and up to the challenge of working on realizing the corporation's mega projects. On the team managing the project, Al-Rashidi noted the members were hand-picked with utmost care and professionalism from within the network grouping KPI, KNPC, and Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), and expressed pride in their welcoming the great challenge. The team includes ten members with experience spanning many years in KPC and affiliates in different specializations. They would be working with the project partners to complete the second phase of design and construction. The reception included a review of the project's administrative and financial structure, its multiple phases, and progress achieved. In a speech on behalf of the Kuwaiti team overseeing the project, Ahmad Al-Fadhli of KPI's Japan Office expressed gratitude for the support of KPC and also the minister's support in particular. Patron of the event Al-Shimali wrapped up with an improvised speech seeking to boost the team's morale and inspiring and feeding enthusiasm over the project. Addressing oil leadership, he stressed the responsibility of nurturing rising Kuwaiti professionals and future leaders in the sector, noting this challenge is one opportunity where such aspiring professionals could prove and realize their full potential to the benefit of the homeland. The minister also addressed the team in Vietnam, praising their efforts and devotion and recognizing their considerable effort to date to facilitate this strategic venture