Riyadh, October 12 (QNA) – The recent developments playing out in the region and Saudi Arabia had reaffirmed that energy security can’t be taken for granted, amid mounting pressure on supply routes and the targeting of infrastructure, said Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Speaking at the opening of the 25th WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh Monday, he added that the resilience of energy systems is measured not only by spare production capacity, pipelines, or power generation capacity, but also by their ability to maintain and repair infrastructure, reroute supplies, find alternatives, recover, and continue delivering supplies under pressure.

Resilience is a state of preparedness that is built and maintained over time, with its effectiveness demonstrated through action, the Saudi Energy Minister underlined, affirming that Saudi Arabia’s demonstrated resilience and ability to recover substantially support the reliability of global energy supplies and reinforce the Kingdom’s continued standing as a reliable partner in the global economy.

He stressed that there can be no future in which energy is available to all without energy security for all, emphasizing that energy security and energy transition must go hand in hand.

For his part, President of WPC Energy, Pedro Miras, stressed that energy security is essential to achieving economic growth and social stability, and that a successful energy transition requires steady and sustainable investment, highlighting the role of artificial intelligence, digitization, new fuel sources, and carbon storage technologies in shaping the sector’s future.

Miras underscored the importance of international cooperation in achieving shared goals in the energy sector, adding that collective action represents the best way to ensure a secure and sustainable future for all.

  He noted that the world is moving full steam ahead toward developing cutting-edge technologies and innovating new solutions in the energy sector to safeguard global energy security, achieve economic stability, and help improve the lives of billions of people around the world.

These efforts are taking place amid a rapidly evolving global economy that requires improvements to energy infrastructure and the development of new, sustainable solutions, Miras pointed out.

The congress agenda comprises ministerial dialogues, strategic and technical sessions, and discussions on developments in energy markets, investment, emerging technologies, carbon management, natural gas, critical minerals, digital transformation, and AI.

Hosted by Saudi Arabia, the congress addresses a broad range of key issues in the energy sector, including supply security, markets, investment, technology, innovation, sustainability, and human capacity development.

The event marks the start of technical meetings for the 17th Clean Energy Ministerial and the 11th Mission Innovation Ministerial, both hosted by Saudi Arabia as part of Riyadh Energy Week, which also features several international energy meetings and events. (QNA)