Business
Al-Kaabi: ‘We must protect energy infrastructure during conflict, including energy shipping routes’
The Minister of State for Energy Affairs His Excellency Saad Sherida al-Kaabi has called for the protection of energy infrastructure and shipping routes.
Speaking at the 28th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow, al-Kaabi said: "It is critical that we work together to protect energy infrastructure during times of conflict, including energy routes and maritime shipping lanes, whose disruption has far-reaching implications for global trade and energy security.”
Al-Kaabi cited the conflict in the Gulf region and the repeated attacks on energy facilities and assets across the region, which have severely curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, restricting the world’s access to energy and other essential products.
"The State of Qatar itself was the target of several attacks on our energy production facilities. As a result, our production was halted, and our LNG vessels faced severe restrictions on their movement through regional shipping routes,” he said.
Reaffirming Qatar’s steadfast resolve to uphold its principles, al-Kaabi said: "We, in the State of Qatar, strive to be a force for peace. We also remain firmly committed to playing an active and constructive role in providing the world with reliable energy supplies, particularly LNG.”
Al-Kaabi stressed that meeting the world’s growing demand for natural gas requires significant and sustained investment across the entire gas value chain, supported by greater market certainty, fair access to financing, and long-term cooperation between producers and consumers to bring new supplies to market in a timely manner.
Concluding his remarks, al-Kaabi said: "We have an important responsibility: to reaffirm the role of natural gas as a cornerstone of a diversified global energy mix and as a key enabler of a fair, realistic, and balanced energy transition. Natural gas is here to stay, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that its role remains firmly anchored in the global energy dialogue.”
The 28th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum was held ahead of the 8th Summit of the Heads of States of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.