His Excellency Eng. Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Managing Director and CEO of Qatar Energy, called for the protection of energy infrastructure and shipping routes in times of conflict.
His Excellency said in a speech he delivered during the twenty-eighth ministerial meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow: “It is necessary that we work together to protect energy infrastructure in times of conflict, including energy pathways and maritime shipping lanes, the disruption of which leads to far-reaching repercussions on global trade and energy security.”
His Excellency referred to the conflict in the Gulf region and the repeated attacks on energy facilities in the region, which led to the significant obstruction of shipping movement through the Strait of Hormuz, which limited the world’s access to energy sources and other basic products.
He added: “The State of Qatar has been subjected to several attacks targeting our energy production facilities. As a result, our production has been halted and the ability of our LNG tankers to move through regional shipping routes has been disrupted.”
Emphasizing Qatar’s firm determination to adhere to its principles, His Excellency said: “We, in the State of Qatar, strive to be a force supporting peace, and we also affirm our firm commitment to playing an active and constructive role in providing the world with reliable energy supplies, especially liquefied natural gas.”
His Excellency stressed that meeting the growing global demand for natural gas requires large and sustainable investments across the various stages of the gas industry, which requires enhancing certainty and confidence in the markets, ensuring fair access to financing, and consolidating long-term cooperation between producers and consumers, with the aim of providing new supplies in the markets at the right time.
At the end of his speech, His Excellency said: “We have an important responsibility to reaffirm the role of natural gas as an essential pillar in a diverse global energy mix, and a key factor in enabling a fair, realistic and balanced transition towards low-carbon energy. While natural gas will remain present, we must all ensure that its role remains firmly established in the global energy dialogue.”
The twenty-eighth ministerial meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum was held ahead of the eighth summit of heads of state and government of the forum.