On 2026-10-11 the 17th International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting convened in Riyadh under the banner 'Energy Security – A Shared Responsibility.' Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, who holds the dual role of Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and the chief executive of QatarEnergy, addressed the gathering.
Al-Kaabi opened his address by expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia, noting that the kingdom had recently endured attacks that caused loss of life and injury. He offered his sincere condolences to the families of those killed and wished a swift recovery to the wounded.
In remarks at the 17th International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting H.E. Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi: “We need to keep energy above politics” “Energy security must unite us, not divide us; it must be protected, not weaponized” https://t.co/Em94wv72uc
The minister warned that the fighting in the region had precipitated what he described as 'by far, the world's worst energy crisis.' He said the turmoil had disrupted the flow of around 20 percent of global hydrocarbon supplies. He emphasized that energy security remains highly vulnerable and inseparable from geopolitical security.
Beyond the industrial impact, the minister highlighted the human cost of energy insecurity.
He described this as a stark illustration of how energy infrastructure has become both an economic asset and a strategic military target.
His Excellency the Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, who is also president and chief executive of #QatarEnergy, has called for a new world energy order that keeps energy above politics and never makes it a victim or target of conflict. The minister made the call during the #17th_International_Energy_Forum_Ministerial_Meeting in Riyadh, convened under the theme Energy Security – A Shared Responsibility: Market Fundamentals, Supply Chain Resilience, and the New Dynamics of #Demand and #Supply. https://t.co/xmZZZB63lu @qatarenergy
Beyond the industrial impact, the minister highlighted the human cost of energy insecurity. He noted that roughly one billion people still lack access to electricity. He said approximately four billion people depend on food that is produced using manufactured fertilizers.
In response to these challenges, al-Kaabi urged the forum to treat energy infrastructure as something that must be protected from becoming a target in conflicts. He called for a new world energy order in which energy is kept above politics, suggesting that the traditional entanglement of fuel flows with geopolitical maneuvering should be reconsidered. He argued that safeguarding the free movement of hydrocarbons should be a shared objective, one that transcends national rivalries and focuses on preserving the systems that deliver power and fuel to markets worldwide.
Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy, HE Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, called for a new world energy order in which energy is kept above politics and is never made a victim or target of conflict. He made the call during the 17th International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh, convened under the theme 'Energy Security - A Shared Responsibility: Market Fundamentals, Supply Chain Resilience, and the New Dynamics of Demand and Supply'. https://t.co/kT5UuPoI1N
Reiterating a point made earlier, al-Kaabi stressed that energy security remains highly vulnerable and inseparable from geopolitical security. He framed energy security as a unifying force, insisting that it must unite nations rather than divide them. He closed by reminding listeners that the impact on billions of lives should remind everyone of a shared responsibility to safeguard energy security, protect the free flow of energy and keep energy above politics and conflict.
