Partnership-based model top priority at Bureau of Energy Resources

On January 22, 2020, the Meridian Corporate Council partnered with BP America, Inc. to host Assistant Secretary of State Frank R. Fannon of the Bureau of Energy Resources, for a conversation regarding ‘Current initiatives being taken on by the Bureau of Energy Resources along with the opportunities and the challenges for American companies in the energy sector abroad.’  

In January 2018, Assistant Secretary Fannon was appointed to the position of the inaugural United States Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources. He has brought to this role expertise in energy projects in both the public and private sectors and is a leader at the juncture of energy and national security. Assistant Secretary Fannon noted that when he arrived in his position, he brought with him several key missions to direct the work of the Bureau in his time in office. These missions included addressing the fact that 50% more energy would be required by 2040, keeping a close eye on trans-Atlantic energy security, and connecting with the ways that the Sustainable Development Goals are integrated in corporate structures. Going ahead in 2020, Assistant Secretary Fannon has a mindset of alliance, and the Bureau of Energy Resources is positioning itself in a partnership-based model.  

Assistant Secretary Fannon addressed the United States’ energy transformation, and its shift from scarcity to abundance, making clear the responsibilities the U.S. has as connected with this abundance. He stated that even with an energy abundance in the U.S., the administration aims to be committed to the Middle East in terms of energy and foreign policy in order to promote stability in the region. This strategy is connected to Assistant Secretary Fannon’s focus on national security, and he promotes the concept of a Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA), a partnership announced in May 2017. For Assistant Secretary Fannon and his Bureau, unique opportunity exists for issues of political and economic security to be addressed through energy collaboration.  

Photos

Photos by Jessica Latos.

Sponsor