Press Release

The Phillipines confers award on OPEC Fund Director-General

Al-Herbish receives Congressional Medal of Achievement

75/2005 June 20,2005 Vienna,Austria
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The Republic of the Philippines today bestowed its Congressional Medal of Achievement on Mr. Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish, the Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development, describing him as an accomplished manager and administrator. The Award was presented, on behalf of the Philippine nation, by the Honorable Jose de Venecia, Jr., Speaker of the Congress of the Philippine House of Representatives.

Shaking hands are (left) the Honourable Jose de Venecia;
and (right) Mr. Suleiman J. Al-Herbish

Mr. Jose de Venecia, flanked by several Members of Congress and ranking national officials, including the Philippine Ambassador to Austria, HE Mr. Victor G. Garcia III, told Mr. Al-Herbish and assembled OPEC Fund staff that the Philippines was appreciative of the contributions of the Fund to social and economic development in the Philippines.  He disclosed that Saudi Arabia, Mr. Al-Herbish's home country and Fund Member State had, over years, provided major support to the Philippines, employing close to a million Philippine nationals in, especially, the health sector. 

Responding, Mr. Al-Herbish remarked that relations between the Philippines and the OPEC Fund were excellent. He thanked the Speaker, the Congress and House of Representatives as well as the People and Federal Government of the Philippines for the decoration.  He assured the visiting delegation that the OPEC Fund intended to continue with its projects and programs of cooperation with the Philippines, certain of a sound and conducive environment for investment and development cooperation. 

The Philippines is a long-standing partner-country of the OPEC Fund's.  Cooperation between the Fund and the country began in August 1977, when the Fund extended a first Road project loan to the country.  Meanwhile, the Fund is involved in several economic sectors of endeavor there, including energy, transportation, education, agriculture and agro-industry. Fund Operations Management officials describe the Philippines as a buoyant, cooperative and effective partner in development.

The citation for the Congressional Medal to Mr. Al-Herbish said it was being conferred on him "in recognition of his distinguished administration of the 12-Member OPEC Fund" and the key role, in the institution, of Saudi Arabia.  The citation spoke of the long service of the Fund CEO in the global oil industry, including Governorship for Saudi Arabia at OPEC and Directorship of several key Saudi public and private enterprises.  Furthermore, Al-Herbish was being honored for "his personal interest in the welfare of the oil-importing countries of the developing world, whose plight.the OPEC Fund seeks to alleviate."  The Award, which is supported by all of the Philippines national political parties, including opposition parties, "is bestowed on behalf of the Filipino nation and in accordance with Resolution No. 453 of the House of Representatives, Congress of the Philippines."

The Award is Congress' highest medal of honor. Recent recipients have included Africa's Nelson Mandela; HE President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan; HE President Hu Jintao of China; and HE Mr. Ali Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Jose de Venecia extended an invitation to Mr. Al-Herbish to pay an official visit to the Philippines.