June 20, 2004 Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, June 20, 2004 – Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation Limited today announced a $500,000 sponsorship agreement with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Abu Dhabi Environmental Research & Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) for research and protection of major Coral Habitats in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, CEO of Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation , signed the agreement with Dr Georg Schwede, Conservation Director of the Europe/Middle East program for WWF International
This three year WWF/ERWDA project will run from 2004 through 2006, in association with Qatar’s Supreme Council for the Environment and Nature Reserves (SCENR). The results will include a world class study – ‘Conservation of Coral Reef Habitats of the Arabian Gulf’ – and the first comprehensive coral conservation plan for the region.
Dolphin’s sponsorship will help the WWF to investigate the diversity and condition of all representatives Abu Dhabi and Qatari corals, to identify and document coral species – and to qualify their abundance and status. It will also assist them in assessing the potential for recovery of degraded coral reef habitats.
Following conclusion of the research, the WWF will publish a Gulf coral atlas and identification guide, plus supporting strategy documents.
After the signing, Mr Al Sayegh said: ”Dolphin is very pleased to be working so closely with ERWDA, SCENR and WWF on this initiative.”
He emphasized: “In bringing Qatari gas by pipeline to the UAE in 2006, the ADOC Project is not only developing cross-border energy initiatives. Our project is also a catalyst for cross-border scientific, socio-economic and environmental cooperation studies of vital interest to both Qatar and the UAE.”
Majid Al Mansoori, Secretary General of ERWDA, added: “ERWDA is delighted with this sponsorship, and looks forward to working closely with both Dolphin and WWF to achieve quality results of long-term benefit.”
For WWF, Dr Schwede added: “We greatly appreciate Dolphin’s support for this most important environmental study. Practical use can, and will, be made of the results as they are gathered.”