UAE leads with action: enabling growth through pragmatic policies and bold partnerships

In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO today, called on energy industry leaders, policy makers and investors to follow the UAE’s lead and drive pragmatic policies and bold partnerships, to boost job creation, socioeconomic growth, and global competitiveness.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 41st edition of ADIPEC, the world’s largest energy event taking place in Abu Dhabi, H.E. Dr. Al Jaber said the UAE’s pragmatic approach proves how policy grounded in reality builds investor confidence and explained that the country is a model for credible, technology-driven, investment-friendly policy solutions.

“Here in the UAE, our approach optimises energy, attracts capital, advances technology and works with industry on practical policy solutions. Global capital continues to flow into the UAE because Investors value credibility, appreciate predictability and put a premium on trust. All are found in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE.”

The lesson, he said is that policies should be “pragmatic, not performative, based on insight, not ideology, built on first principles, not fleeting popularity. Regulation without realism and legislation without logic, will only weaken economies, stunt societies and drive capital away.”

H.E. cited ADNOC’s achievements as a testament to the UAE’s pragmatic approach that advances technology to enable progress.

“At ADNOC, we are using every technology available, including AI and robotics to collapse time and expand value. Through our home-grown company AIQ, we have embedded over 200 AI use cases, from the wellhead to the trading floor. These tools are cutting unplanned shutdowns by half and enhancing performance across our business.

“Our flagship program, Energy to the Power of AI, will make production forecasts 90% more accurate. We are laser focused on becoming the most AI native energy company, driving a new era of intelligence-powered optimisation and efficiency.”

H.E. Dr. Al Jaber called on the energy industry, policy makers and investors to “tune out the noise, track the signal” as geopolitics shape trade and news flows and sentiment moves markets.

“With all the static around, it can be difficult to focus on what is really material to our business. And at times like these, my approach is simple: tune out the noise, track the signal. And the signal is telling us that near-term uncertainty is real, while long-term demand remains strong. It is telling us to balance cost discipline with capital investment. Stay laser-focused on efficiency, while investing in people, technology and AI.

“While we may face headwinds in the months ahead, the long-term outlook shows demand growth for every form of energy across every market. Our response to meet that demand should focus on the data, not the drama.”

Noting that $4 trillion annual capital investment is needed in grids, data centres and all sources of energy, HE Dr. Al Jaber said “you can’t run tomorrow’s economy on yesterday’s grid” and went on to highlight the major demand-drivers through 2040.

“Here are the facts: electricity demand will keep surging through 2040, as power for data centres grows four-fold, 1.5 billion people move into cities, and more than 2 billion air conditioners come online. Aviation will also take off, with the global airline fleet doubling from 25,000 to 50,000 planes.

“As a result, renewables will more than double by 2040; LNG will grow by 50%; jet fuel will increase more than 30% and oil will stay above 100 million barrels per day beyond 2040, increasingly used not just for mobility, but more and more for materials.

“This all adds up to something far more complex than a single-path energy transition,” he said. “What we are really talking about here is energy reinforcement not replacement.”

He emphasised the crucial role of energy in enabling global prosperity and stressed that the signal could not be clearer around the world. “Energy equals jobs; energy equals growth; energy equals competitiveness and energy equals intelligence.”

H.E. Dr. Al Jaber noted that this message was also echoed at the ENACT Majlis that convened leaders from energy, technology, finance and policy, on the eve of ADIPEC, to discuss how to ignite the twin engines of energy and AI to turbo-charge economies.

Summarising the key outcomes of the Majlis, H.E. Dr. Al Jaber stressed that for economies to grow at speed of AI, reliable, affordable, baseload energy is necessary. He highlighted that the world still relies on molecules to create the electrons that AI needs.

“Gas provides more than a quarter of the baseload power required by data centres and a shortage of gas turbines is turning a supply crunch into a choke point that is pushing electricity prices higher. Infrastructure is still way behind where it needs to be. We need at least six million kilometres of new transmission lines by 2050.

“We need massive capital investment. The fact is that capital is available. We need the right structures in place to derisk and ensure it flows to the right places. And we need to free up dormant capital that is tied up in existing energy infrastructure assets. Most importantly, policy must enable progress, not obstruct growth”.

H.E. Dr. Al Jaber went on to detail how the UAE is reinforcing its position as an attractive destination for investment and ADNOC role in strengthening long-term partnerships.

“When efficiency counts, this is the place where the lowest cost and lowest carbon barrels live. When capital seeks certainty, here is where you will find the best bang for your buck. When good governance and rule of law are crucial, here is where partnerships are rock solid and ROI is secured.

“As ADNOC continues to progress and thrive here at home, we are also going global to find the right opportunities. Through our international investment arm XRG, we have closed gas deals in Mozambique, Egypt, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and the United States and continue to look for more opportunities across the gas value chain. We are building a truly global chemicals footprint across five continents. And we are investing in infrastructure and smart energy solutions to unlock new corridors for growth.

“We have taken a disciplined approach, partnered across public and private sectors, and are ready to partner with more. To all our current and future partners, our door is wide open. We are open for business but more than that we’re open for boldness.”

Concluding his address, H.E. Dr. Al Jaber highlighted the importance of UAE Flag Day which coincides with the opening day of ADIPEC. “Today we are marking UAE Flag Day, a moment that captures the spirit of this nation when people from everywhere across the UAE come together in a single act of unity and connection. It is a simple but powerful tribute. We all look up and we honor our flag in a moment of pride. We recall the guidance and wisdom of our leadership and the debt we owe to all who came before us.

“The lessons from this moment for our industry are clear. Real progress is never the work of one person or a single company. It happens when we move with purpose, all pull in the same direction and recognise the most powerful resource we have is not found in the ground, it is the resilience that binds us and the resolve that drives us,” he said.

Hosted by ADNOC, ADIPEC is taking place until Thursday, November 6 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.