11 November 2015
Abu Dhabi-UAE: The Emirates Foundation, a philanthropic organisation established by the Government of Abu Dhabi, and BP Exploration & Operating Company Ltd, the international energy company, have extended their partnership agreement aimed to support youth development programmes throughout the UAE.

The extension was signed on Tuesday 10th November at the BP stand at Abu Dhabi Petroleum International Exhibition and Conference held on 9-12 November at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center in the presence of Emirates Foundation Managing Director Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Michael Townshend BP Regional president for BP Middle East, Mr AbdulKarim Al Mazmi, President and General Manager for BP Abu Dhabi, Clare Woodcraft -Scott, Chief Executive Officer at Emirates Foundation, as well as the senior management in both organizations.

BP has been supporting Emirates Foundation since its establishment in 2005 and by this extension BP will continue its support for the Emirates Foundation's overall programme portfolio to the end of 2016. These programmes set out to improve the welfare of youth across the UAE through inspiring, empowering and guiding the youth of the UAE to ensure a sustainable future for the nation and enable individuals to give back to the community.

AbdulKarim Al Mazmi, President and General Manager for BP UAE said:" BP is pleased to continue its partnership with Emirates Foundation and supports its work to positively and permanently impact the lives of young people in the UAE. BP is committed to developing local capability, as a key contributor to a successful and innovative society, in support of the national priority around developing UAE talent. Our long-standing partnership is a great example for this commitment.  BP is pleased of its association with Emirates Foundation.

Welcoming the agreement, Clare Woodcraft-Scott, Chief Executive Office at Emirates Foundation said: "Our collaboration with BP is a great example of how the private sector can support the Foundation leverage its distinctive venture philanthropy model and youth empowerment programmes to positively and permanently impact the lives of youth. BP have provided us with the financial and technical support from the very beginning of the Foundation's establishment, and we are very grateful for their support which helped us deliver on our mission of creating social value and impacting Emirati young people positively and permanently."

Mohanna Al Muhairi, Chief Operations Officer at the Emirates Foundation said a major emphasis of the Foundation has been on building long-term partnerships with private sector organizations, particularly those with an outstanding record in social responsibility.

"A good part of those partnerships are geared towards promoting the skills of our young people and unleashing their potentials, he noted.

"We have established a dedicated business development department to act as a liaison between the businesses and the community. The aim is to create diverse opportunities for the private sector to engage in social ventures that invest in the huge potential of the youth and enable them to contribute more fully to building a prosperous future for their country," Al Muhairi said. 

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About BP in UAE
·   BP has played a significant role in the Abu Dhabi oil industry since the 1930s and was at the forefront of the discovery of oil in the Emirate in 1958.

·   BP's regional head office for exploration and production in based in Abu Dhabi, covering Jordan, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE. Our refining and marketing business managed from Dubai and known as BP Middle East where we run our trading, lubricant, Air BP and BP Marine businesses from.

·   Today our interests include shareholdings in Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (BP share 14.67%), Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company (10%) and the Natural Gas Shipping Company (10%)

·   BP supports several flagship social investment projects in Abu Dhabi. These include a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency on the Sustainable Schools Initiative; the BP Young Adventurers training initiative that has hosted over 6000 children over the last decade; investment in future talent through our support to Abu Dhabi's Petroleum Institute and our support to Khalifa Fund  for Enterprise Development..

·   BP seconds a significant number of specialists to provide technical and managerial support to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and the operating companies. We also invest in developing local capabilities, including through seconding national staff to different BP locations worldwide.

About the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development
Emirates Foundation (EF) was launched in April 2005 as an initiative from His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

In 2012, Emirates Foundation was re-launched under the name "Emirates Foundation for Youth Development" as an integrated national initiative that seeks to invest in UAE youth. EF's strategy uses the model of venture philanthropy to develop nationwide programs that aim to impact the lives of UAE youth positively and permanently in a manner that is measurable and sustainable.

The Foundation works in three key areas: social inclusion - looking at some of the challenges facing young people; community engagement - encouraging youth to participate in a voluntary capacity in the civil society; and leadership and empowerment - helping to build young people's 'soft skills and prepare them for the work place.

EF seeks to identify, educate and inform the public about some of the challenges facing UAE youth while identifying opportunities for growth and development for young people themselves. We develop sustainable, enterprise-based solutions to social issues that help motivate and guide young Emiratis through programs that help them understand the value of giving back to society while developing their capabilities, confidence and leadership skills.

Emirates Foundation works in partnership with both the private and public sectors and aims to create a strong culture of giving among the business sector. It is funded through financial contributions from both the government and the private sector.

Further information:
BP contacts
Reem Mohammed, Communications & External Affairs Manager for BP UAE
Location: Abu Dhabi UAE
Phone +971 2 4935564
Email: Reem.Mohammed@bp.com
Emirates Foundation contacts:
For more information on Emirates Foundation, please contact:
Abdallah Bani Ali - abaniali@emiratesfoundation.ae +971 5 08192719
Samar Abdulhadi -samar@inspirat.us +971504546313  

© Press Release 2015