Kuwait city: A high-level Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) workshop on safeguarding the infrastructure of the oil and gas sector and crisis management commenced on Tuesday at the Ahmad Al-Jaber Oil and Gas Exhibition in Ahmadi, Kuwait. This three-day initiative is a collaboration between the United Nations Office of Counterterrorism, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), and the GCC Emergency Management Center.
According to Kuwait News Agency, GCC Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi emphasized in a recorded speech that GCC energy supplies form a crucial component of the global supply system. He noted that Gulf states are actively pursuing ambitious development plans, which are likely to lead to increased domestic energy demand. Al-Budaiwi pointed out that the rapid progress in the developing world and the growing energy demand, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, which is projected to account for 50 percent of global GDP by 2040, present significant challenges.
Al-Budaiwi identified three primary challenges facing the GCC: adapting to the global energy transition, meeting escalating domestic demand, and ensuring the security and stability of the global energy market. He highlighted the strategic importance of energy assets in the Gulf region, noting that developments and conflicts in the area could directly impact critical maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Suez Canal.
United Nations Undersecretary General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov, in a similar recorded statement, stressed that the workshop occurs amid rising global security threats. He referenced UN General Assembly Resolution 77/298, which condemns terrorist attacks on energy infrastructure and calls for enhanced cooperation among governments, international organizations, and the private sector. Voronkov also introduced a technical guide for protecting critical energy infrastructure from terrorist threats, developed with support from Russia and Turkmenistan.
UN Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, Ghada Al-Tahir, remarked that the meeting offers a valuable opportunity to share best practices and highlight the Gulf countries' progress in building comprehensive security frameworks. She reiterated the Gulf states' role in global energy security and sustainable development and expressed confidence in the workshop's potential to yield meaningful results.
Dr. Rashid Al-Marri, Head of the GCC Emergency Management Center, underscored the importance of the workshop as a platform to enhance cooperation for protecting vital oil and gas infrastructure. He emphasized the need for increased readiness in the face of growing threats such as terrorism, cyberattacks, and geopolitical tensions and detailed the center's efforts in coordinating crisis response and developing a regional emergency plan.
KOC's Assistant CEO, Musaed Al-Rasheed, highlighted the significance of strengthening regional and international partnerships to secure maritime routes and energy supplies. He noted that Gulf states play a pivotal role in global energy markets, producing 17 million barrels per day in 2023, which accounts for over 23 percent of global output, and holding nearly 33 percent of the world's oil reserves.