Pittsburgh seeks Qatar’s energy expertise Sunday, 14 November 2010 06:23

PITTSBURGH: Issa Shahin Al Ghanim, Governor of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and Director of Strategic Planning and Policy at Qatar Petroleum, led a Qatari delegation to Pittsburgh Middle East Institute’s (PMEI) 3rd Annual Conference on “Clean Power: Pittsburgh and the Middle East”.

While Qatar initially sought Pittsburgh’s advice on enhancing its health-care and educational sectors, Pittsburgh is now seeking Qatar’s expertise and market power in the energy sector. Beyond energy, Pittsburgh is not only welcoming Qatari interest in its budding shale gas opportunities but is looking to Qatar for expanding its investments as well.

“We had a long history with Qatar”, said Dr Amr El Refai, Associate Professor of Surgery and Chairman of Allegheny International, who partnered with Qatar’s Ministry of Health through several years of its reform.

It became clear that this would be the first of many visits strengthening the relationship between Qatar and Pittsburgh.

The peninsula