The 15th edition of OMC - Med Energy Conference kicked off yesterday morning in the presence of Tarek El-Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Egypt, Mohamed Oun, Minister of Petroleum and Gas, Libya, Natasa Pilides, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Cyprus, Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy and the Mayor of Ravenna, Mr. Michele De Pascale, along with a number of government and industry professionals. 

Lebanon has also proven strong presence at OMC through several companies, including Batifort, represented by its owner George Farhat, and Rockland represented by its Commercial Development Director, Naji Hatem. 

Both companies work in the field of energy, construction, facility protection, earthquake resistance, and firefighting.

In an interview with the National News Agency, Hatem said that OMC was a great opportunity to meet with Italian companies active in the aforementioned fields and to discuss future projects with new partners. 

"I was so pleased to meet with delegations from Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt; this is a promising opportunity to build direct partnerships with them," he added. 

For his part, Farhat said that Lebanon's participation in this exhibition was a great opportunity to explore new horizons and technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, control the increasing air pollution, build sound environmental systems, construct smarter energy systems and buildings, and rely on transformative lighting systems.

"What is mostly required today is to invest in the young Lebanese generation and rely on it to swap old concepts with new ideas for the benefit of Lebanon's environment first and foremost," Farhat added. 

The 15th edition of OMC confirms the status of the largest and the most important conference and exhibition in the Mediterranean area, south Europe and North Africa. The exhibition halls are busier than ever and the major energy players are exploring new technologies while networking with new and existing clients. 

The support of the Egyptian Petroleum Sector, the presence of representatives from more that 25 nations at the exhibition, amongst which France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Greece, and Cyprus are a clear sign of the importance of OMC in the Mediterranean energy sector.