3 Billion People Lack Clean Cooking Fuel – OPEC Boss

Global leaders must have a rethink on energy poverty in order to save around three billion people using unclean fuels for cooking and over one billion others without access to electricity, Dr Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has said.

Speaking last week in Vienna, Austria, at a seminar on cooperation for a sustainable future, Barkindo told the energy leaders: "When we start up our cars, switch on a light, turn on our mobile phones, we need to recognize that these everyday things are still unknown to billions of people across the world who continue to suffer from energy poverty."

"And this essential fuel will no doubt be vital to future generations. We should not forget that today around three billion do not have clean fuels for cooking, and 1.1 billion have no access to electricity, something that all of us here take for granted," he also said.

He said the landmark 'Declaration of Cooperation' between 24 OPEC and non-OPEC nations that was initially put together in December 2016 had since then been making impact to both the producers and investors.

The OPEC boss said the impact of the historic cooperation had exceeded even the most optimistic of predictions. "We have not only turned a historic page, but a new glorious chapter is being authored in the history of the industry by OPEC and its non-OPEC partners," he stated.

The two leaders among the oil producers' group, Saudi Arabia and the Russia, have called for the expanded cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC member countries in order to keep the global energy market more stable.

At the seminar, both OPEC and non-OPEC countries, as well as some key consumer nations like China and India, agreed on the expanded cooperation among the member nations.

Saudi Arabia's minister of state for Energy Affairs, Prince Abdulaziz Ibn Salman, said yesterday that the cooperation between the OPEC and non-OPEC members has contributed a great deal in achieving stability in the global energy market.

He called on the global energy leaders to support the Declaration of Cooperation among the countries.

The Russian Deputy Minister of Energy assured of continued dialogue between the non-OPEC members and their OPEC member counterparts in order to sustain the stability in the industry.