By welcoming the president of CERAWeek as a Guest Speaker, the SIREXE secures one of the world's most influential voices on energy and geopolitics. A high-profile presence for a trade fair that aspires to become an essential gathering for the extractive and energy industries in Africa.
"If there is one man whose opinion matters more than any other in global energy markets, it is Daniel Yergin," wrote Time magazine. The New York Times described him as "America's most influential energy commentator," while the Wall Street Journal dubbed him "the energy sage."
These descriptions reflect the stature of the individual expected in Abidjan during the second edition of the International Exhibition of Extractive Resources and Energy (SIREXE), scheduled from 18 to 22 November 2026. Invited as a Guest Speaker, Daniel Yergin will participate in the inaugural conference dedicated to geopolitical tensions and the international logistics of oil and gas.
His expertise will be particularly sought after in a context marked by rivalries between powers, risks to supply chains, the rise of liquefied natural gas, and increasing energy needs linked to new technologies. His influence is also embodied in CERAWeek, the global conference he co-founded and chairs, which dates back to 1983.
Organized annually in Houston, United States, this summit has established itself as one of the primary forums for meeting and reflection within the global energy industry. The 2026 edition brought together more than 2 470 companies, 2 200 high-level executives (including more than 1 000 board chairs and CEOs), 588 government officials, more than 1 400 speakers, and 450 media representatives from 90 countries.
CERAWeek brings together decision-makers from the oil, gas, mining, electric, technology, and financial sectors to discuss the investments and transformations reshaping the global energy system. This influence has led to the event being described as the "Davos of energy."
As Vice Chairman of S&P Global, Daniel Yergin plays a major role in the group's work on energy and commodities. He has notably led studies on the development of GNL as a major U.S. export industry and on the strategic role of copper in the era of artificial intelligence.
A Pulitzer Prize winner, Daniel Yergin is also the author of several reference works. His book The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations, translated into fourteen languages, has been hailed as "a masterclass in how the world works."
His presence offers the SIREXE much more than the prestige associated with his name. It allows Abidjan to host a voice at the heart of global energy debates and reinforces the trade fair's determination to establish itself as an international platform for dialogue between public officials, industry leaders, and investors.
The actual participation of Daniel Yergin thus illustrates the rise of the SIREXE, now capable of attracting major global figures from the extractive and energy industries to Abidjan. It supports the ambition of Côte d'Ivoire to assert itself as an emerging player in these sectors in Africa.
This is a government trajectory led by the Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, who intends to make the country a benchmark in terms of transparent and inclusive governance of natural resources, which are elevated as levers for growth and sustainable development. Published on 08/10/26 15:10.
Jean Mermoz Konandi