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Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman opened the 17th International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh by stressing that the Kingdom would surmount current obstacles and honor its international obligations for reliable energy flows. He pointed to recent regional developments and infrastructure attacks as reminders that energy security demands perpetual preparedness rather than reactive measures after disruptions occur. The minister detailed how Saudi Arabia had spent decades building spare production capacity along with storage facilities, alternative export pathways, advanced technology, robust domestic supply chains and a skilled workforce to safeguard supply continuity.
Prince Abdulaziz described Riyadh as the capital of energy security and insisted that no one could break the Kingdom’s determination or halt its forward momentum. “No one can break our resolve. We are like a phoenix, rising from the ashes every time, again and again,” he said in remarks that multiple outlets covering the ministerial meeting quoted directly. He added that the Kingdom had demonstrated its ability to maintain reliable supplies, sustain investments and adapt to shifting conditions over the past eight months while reassuring global partners of its steadfast approach.
The minister told delegates that ensuring energy security represents a collective international duty that no single nation can shoulder alone and called for stronger coordination among countries to prevent fragmented efforts to secure individual supplies. He noted that recent attacks had temporarily affected key infrastructure including the East-West Pipeline yet operations had resumed with the line now pumping 5.8 million barrels per day according to his own statement issued six days earlier. This alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz forms part of broader work to develop additional pipelines that would further insulate exports from potential chokepoints.
Prince Abdulaziz outlined ongoing Saudi investments that balance reliable oil and gas production with expansion of renewable energy sources, electricity networks, energy storage solutions and gas infrastructure. He said the Kingdom would also speed development of lower-emission technologies, bolster domestic manufacturing, reinforce supply chain resilience and focus on building human capital. Such efforts align with the country’s long-term strategy that government planning documents have framed as essential for both domestic needs and international responsibilities.
The energy minister highlighted how sustained investments, advance planning and decisive actions had enabled Saudi Arabia to preserve progress toward its objectives even amid periods of uncertainty and regional turbulence. He referenced the East-West Pipeline’s role in providing an export corridor through Yanbu on the Red Sea as evidence of foresight that had proven valuable in recent weeks. Additional pipeline projects now under development would further reduce risks though they require years of preparation and significant capital outlays whose costs he described as far lower than the economic damage of supply interruptions.
International Energy Forum participants heard Prince Abdulaziz reaffirm the Kingdom’s dedication to implementing its Vision 2030 program while developing energy and industrial capabilities that serve both Saudi citizens and global partners. He emphasized that energy security for all nations forms a prerequisite for any viable future energy landscape and warned that weakening it could threaten broader economic stability and competitiveness. The ministerial meeting in Riyadh drew senior energy officials from around the world at a time when global markets continue to navigate supply uncertainties and shifting demand patterns.
