His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani, who donated his library to the Centre of Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) from the Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES), has sadly passed away this week, aged 90.
Sheikh Yamani served as Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources in Saudi Arabia from 1962 to 1986 and Minister in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for 25 years. From its establishment in 1989, the CGES provided an insight into the energy market.
Sheikh Yamani’s work as a statesman is significant. He famously said, ‘Stone Age did not end for lack of stone, and the Oil Age will end long before the world runs out of oil,’ which is inscribed in the lower floor of CCLS, in the Yamani Library.
Professor Ian Walden, Head of Queen Mary’s Centre for Commercial Law Studies said: “We are saddened to hear of the death of Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this time. Sheikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani was a valued supporter of the Centre for Global Energy Studies and through his collaboration we have been able to ensure a legacy for this work.”
Professor Malik Dahlan, Professor of International Law and Public Policy at Queen Mary’s Centre for Commercial Law Studies said: “All of us at Queen Mary are currently doing our utmost to help transition our fragile planet to a new Energy Age. We hope that in this small way our efforts can serve as an ongoing tribute to his life and good works. We are fortunate at CCLS to have celebrated his last public appearance and are the keepers of his energy intellectual legacy.”
Professor James Dallas, Director of the Energy Law Institute at CCLS said: “The Yamani Global Energy Studies Library is a fundamental component of the Energy Law Institute’s mission to educate future global energy law leaders like Sheikh Yamani.”