Political risk and resources assessed at conference

6 February 2007

With the struggle for natural resources becoming ever more acute Chatham House, this week, held a conference looking into the future of this key issue. Speakers at the conference included Robert Mosbacher, President and CEO of OPIC; Dr Hasan Qabazard, Director, Research Division, OPEC; Ambassador William Ramsay, Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency; and Lord Truscott, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy, UK.

Speaking at the conference, Anthony Cordesman, Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at CSIS in Washington discussed where the current and future crisis points in resource availability are, who the main players within the industry are, and what are their motives and current trends. He also assessed the possible large-scale demographic changes which resource scarcities could trigger.

As Deputy Executive Director of International Energy Agency, William C. Ramsay, gave his views on the specific challenges within the energy industry. In his presentation he used examples such as the oil industry in the Niger Delta to highlight the growing difficulties regional instabilities are creating in the global supply of energy.

Notes to editors:

Contact
Duncan Newbury
Chatham House Conference Unit
+44 (0) 20 7957 5753

Event details
Political Risk Revisited: The Global Resource Challenge
Monday 5 February 2007

Session One
Human Resources: Technology, skilled labour

Session Two
Financial Resources: Credit and investment

Session Three
Natural Resources: Minerals, fuel, water, land

Session Four
Conclusions

ENDS

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