G20 Urges Commitment to Stabilize Oil Prices to Boost Global Economy

A pump jack operates in the Permian Basin oil production area near Wink, Texas, US, August 22, 2018. (Reuters)
A pump jack operates in the Permian Basin oil production area near Wink, Texas, US, August 22, 2018. (Reuters)
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G20 Urges Commitment to Stabilize Oil Prices to Boost Global Economy

A pump jack operates in the Permian Basin oil production area near Wink, Texas, US, August 22, 2018. (Reuters)
A pump jack operates in the Permian Basin oil production area near Wink, Texas, US, August 22, 2018. (Reuters)

G20 energy ministers met at a virtual summit, hosted by Saudi Arabia, pledging to work together to ensure oil "market stability”.

OPEC led by Saudi Arabia and its allies led by Russia, which together make up the informal OPEC+ group, had forged a pact to curb crude production by 10 million barrels per day (bpd) or 10% of global supplies in marathon talks on Thursday.

Russia and OPEC said they wanted other producers including the United States and Canada to cut a further 5%.

But efforts to conclude the deal hit the buffers when Mexico said it would only cut output by a quarter of the amount demanded by OPEC+.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdel Abdulaziz bin Salman told Friday’s summit: “Having affordable, reliable, accessible energy supply is considered a necessity to enable basic services, including health care, and help our efforts in assisting economic recovery.”

The standoff with Mexico had cast doubt on efforts to bolster oil prices, pushed to near two-decade lows by the demand-sapping coronavirus pandemic.

The subsequent G20 talks were expected to seal the deal more widely with non-OPEC countries in the group including Mexico, the United States and Canada, but there was no mention of cuts in the group's final statement.

"We commit to ensure that the energy sector continues to make a full, effective contribution to overcoming COVID-19 and powering the subsequent global recovery," the statement said.

"We commit to work together in the spirit of solidarity on immediate, concrete actions to address these issues in a time of unprecedented international emergency.

"We commit to take all the necessary and immediate measures to ensure energy market stability."

Mexico is the lone holdout in the multilateral OPEC-led deal to slash output in May and June by 10 million barrels per day. The cuts would gradually be reduced until April 2022, according to the deal.

Under the deal, Mexico was expected to cut production by 400,000 barrels per day but the country resisted during the overnight talks.

But Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he had reached an agreement with his US counterpart Donald Trump to cut production by only 100,000 bpd.

Trump confirmed the deal, saying the United States will "make up the difference" by cutting "some US production".

The new OPEC+ deal envisaged all members reducing output by 23%, with Saudi Arabia and Russia each cutting 2.5 million bpd and Iraq cutting over 1 million bpd in May and June.

Riyadh and Moscow agreed that their cuts would both be calculated from an October 2018 baseline of 11 million bpd, even though Saudi supplies surged to 12.3 million bpd this April.

Under the plans, OPEC+ would ease cuts to 8 million bpd from July to December and relax them further to 6 million bpd between January 2021 and April 2022, OPEC+ documents showed.

Norway and Canada, both outside OPEC+, have suggested they could cut if the deal was implemented.



Saudi-British Air Connectivity Expands with New Virgin Airlines Route

The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
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Saudi-British Air Connectivity Expands with New Virgin Airlines Route

The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)

Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom are set to launch a direct route connecting Riyadh and London, following the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Air Connectivity Program and Virgin Atlantic.

The agreement, which was signed on Monday in Riyadh in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, aims to enhance air connectivity between the two kingdoms, facilitating access to various cities in Saudi Arabia. The route will operate daily between London Heathrow Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh starting in March 2025, using Airbus A330 aircraft.

Virgin Atlantic’s entry into the Saudi market marks the tenth airline to collaborate with the Air Connectivity Program since the beginning of 2024.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Majed Khan, the CEO of the Air Connectivity Program said that the agreement will help bring visitors to and from Riyadh and other areas of Saudi Arabia, such as Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah as major cities, and then to the Red Sea, Jazan, and Al-Baha, supporting the national tourism strategy.

He further explained that Virgin Atlantic’s direct flights between London and Riyadh will support the growth of inbound international tourism from the UK and North America’s airline network.

As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Virgin Atlantic will enhance air connectivity alongside Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia Airlines, between Riyadh, London, and other destinations within the network.

Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom is experiencing rapid growth driven by Vision 2030, noting that he looks forward to introducing UK customers to Saudi Arabia’s rich culture, heritage, and commercial hub.

Weiss noted that the new services will offer great opportunities for connecting friends, relatives, and businesses, not only within the UK but also in the US, thanks to the partnership with Delta Airlines.

He continued that the agreement will boost the codeshare with its SkyTeam partner, Saudia, further expanding connectivity across the region and beyond while offering new benefits to frequent customers.

Weiss also highlighted the positive impact this step will have in attracting more tourists to Saudi Arabia, which is developing its tourism industry.

Virgin Atlantic, which has a fleet of 45 wide-body aircraft, announced last month the purchase of seven additional Airbus aircraft.

The Air Connectivity Program aims to boost tourism growth in the Kingdom by enhancing connections between Saudi Arabia and the world, through the development of current and potential air routes.