Saudi Minister of Energy: Global Demand for Petrochemicals to Continue to Grow

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaking at a former conference (File photo: Reuters)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaking at a former conference (File photo: Reuters)
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Saudi Minister of Energy: Global Demand for Petrochemicals to Continue to Grow

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaking at a former conference (File photo: Reuters)
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman speaking at a former conference (File photo: Reuters)

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman expected global demand for petrochemicals to grow rapidly, bolstering demand for hydrocarbons as raw materials.

Addressing the 17th Annual GPCA Forum, the Saudi Minister stated that those discussing "the energy transition must accept the reality of today and the future.

Prince Abdulaziz explained that the rapid growth of the petrochemical sector will necessarily be reflected in the volume of demand for hydrocarbons as raw materials.

In his speech, Prince Abdulaziz referred to market and analyst reports, which expect the global petrochemical sector to grow by more than 50 percent to about 1.2 trillion tons annually by 2040.

"Petrochemicals are here to stay, and the hydrocarbon sector will continue to generate income and generate money for investors. So I would like to ask our friends talking about transformation to live with the data in their hands and the facts before them today and for decades to come," the minister said.

He pointed out that petrochemicals and their derivatives constitute about 50 percent of the components of our cars, including electric ones.

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) themed "Mobilizing Chemistry for Impactful Transformation" is held in Doha and hosted by QatarEnergy.

The activities of the Forum kicked off on Sunday, and we will discuss the chemical industry's role in sustainability and the transition to clean energy.

Minister of State for Energy Affairs in Qatar and President and CEO of Qatar Energy Company Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi inaugurated the Forum.



Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
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Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)

The United States on Thursday called on Israel to extend its cooperation with Palestinian banks for another year, to avoid blocking vital transactions in the occupied West Bank.

"I am glad that Israel has allowed its banks to continue cooperating with Palestinian banks, but I remain convinced that a one-year extension of the waiver to facilitate this cooperation is needed," US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday, on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Rio de Janeiro.

In May, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to cut off a vital banking channel between Israel and the West Bank in response to three European countries recognizing the State of Palestine.

On June 30, however, Smotrich extended a waiver that allows cooperation between Israel's banking system and Palestinian banks in the occupied West Bank for four months, according to Israeli media, according to AFP.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that the decision on the waiver was made at a cabinet meeting in a "move that saw Israel legalize several West Bank settlement outposts."

The waiver was due to expire at the end of June, and the extension permitted Israeli banks to process payments for salaries and services to the Palestinian Authority in shekels, averting a blow to a Palestinian economy already devastated by the war in Gaza.

The Israeli threat raised serious concerns in the United States, which said at the time it feared "a humanitarian crisis" if banking ties were cut.

According to Washington, these banking channels are key to nearly $8 billion of imports from Israel to the West Bank, including electricity, water, fuel and food.