Energy security extends beyond oil, gas and electricity, with maritime disruptions potentially affecting essential products used in medicine, education and everyday life, a Qatar University academic said.
Dr Abdulla al-Etaibi, assistant professor of political science and director of strategic innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development at Qatar University, highlighted the wider implications of energy security amid regional and global uncertainty.
Speaking to Gulf Times on the sidelines of the Qatar Leadership Centre’s (QLC) Leadership Innovation Forum 2026 in Doha yesterday, he said the forum’s energy discussion was particularly relevant at a time when maritim e security and the movement of goods have become major concerns.
“It’s really important to s hed some light on what is happening in our region and how energy is not only influencing shipments or just energy as electricity, but it’s more than that,” Dr al-Etaibi said.
He explained that energy is closely connected to petrochemical products that support a wide range of essential sectors, making disruptions potentially significant beyond the immediate energy market.
“It’s something that actually goes into our daily life with other associated petrochemical products that are influencing energy, medicine, and also every part of our world, even the education part,” he said.
He made the comments during the forum session, The Long Bet: Leadership and Resilience in the Oil and Gas Sector, which examined the importance of long-term decisions in building resilience in a sector central to Qatar’s economy.
Dr al-Etaibi said the discussion offered an opportunity to help audiences better understand the relationship between energy and maritime security, particularly given the challenges facing the region and the wider world.
“I highly recommend engaging in such discussions to get to know more the issue of energy and the issue of maritime security in our region,” he said.
The session formed part of the third edition of the Leadership Innovation Forum, organised by QLC under the theme “Strategy Before Execution: Building Institutions That Endure Beyond Their Leaders”.
Held at Raffles Doha under the patronage of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairperson of the QLC Board of Directors, the forum brought together leaders, experts and representatives from different sectors to discuss how institutions can sustain success across generations.
Dr al-Etaibi’s research focuses on Gulf foreign policy, international relations and the role of national identity in shaping policymaking. His work also examines mediation and the changing narratives influencing Qatar’s foreign policy.
His remarks highlighted how energy security intersects with wider questions of regional stability, economic resilience and the reliable movement of goods that modern societies depend on.
