01 September 2015, Sweetcrude, Vienna – Today marks the 50-year anniversary of the signing of the Host Agreement on 1 September 1965 between OPEC and the Federal Republic of Austria. Since then, OPEC and its Secretariat have enjoyed a positive and fruitful relationship with the Austrian government and its host City of Vienna.
“Over the past 50 years, the Organization has faced and overcome many challenges and has grown in stature,” said Abdalla Salem El-Badri, OPEC’s current Secretary General. “And throughout this time, it has been ably supported by our excellent hosts. The City of Vienna has provided assistance and worked with the Secretariat on many occasions,” he added, “helping to facilitate the planning of many of the Organization’s activities and the Meetings of the Conference.”
The original Host Agreement was signed by Ashraf Lutfi, then OPEC Secretary General, and Dr. Bruno Kreisky, the Austrian Foreign Minister at the time. It marked the beginning of a relationship that has grown and strengthened over the years.
“When the Secretariat moved to Vienna in 1965, OPEC was still a very young organization – only five years old”, said El-Badri. “We truly value the relationship that has evolved since then.”
Moreover, the OPEC Secretariat is located in a city rich in culture and history, and Vienna repeatedly ranks among the top cities in the world in terms of quality of life. OPEC staff and visiting members of its Member Country delegations have always appreciated this.
After 50 years of activities here, the Organization extends its warmest thanks to its host city, as well as to its host country of Austria. And on behalf of its twelve Member Countries and the staff at the Secretariat, OPEC thanks the City of Vienna and its officials for their hospitality – and looks forward to many more years in this beautiful city.
Locations over the years
The OPEC Secretariat has been located in various locations around Vienna over the years. Its headquarters were first located in two small buildings along Möllwaldplatz 5 in the city’s fourth district.
The headquarters then moved to Dr.-Karl-Lueger-Ring 10 (renamed Universitätsring in 2012) in the city’s first district before moving in 1977 to Obere Donaustrasse 93, alongside the Danube Canal, in Vienna’s second district.
In November 2009, the OPEC Secretariat returned to the city’s historic first district near the former headquarters of the Vienna Stock Exchange at Helferstorferstrasse 17, its present location.
*OPEC PR & Information Department
