H.E. Dr Sultan Al Jaber: weaponising Hormuz is economic terrorism against every nation
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, Chairman of Masdar and Executive Chairman of XRG, said on Monday weaponising the Strait of Hormuz is an act of economic terrorism that carries a global impact far beyond energy markets.
“These past weeks have reminded us of the fundamentals: stability in energy markets underpins stability in every market. Energy security is not just a slogan. It’s the difference between lights on and lights off. And it rests on a simple truth: the world’s critical arteries must remain open. The Strait of Hormuz is one of those arteries,” H.E. Dr. Al Jaber told attendees at CERAWeek in Houston in a virtual address.
Oxygen of the global economy
“Twenty-one miles wide. Twenty million barrels a day. Nearly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas. Over a third of the world’s fertiliser. Almost a quarter of the world’s petrochemicals and significant amounts of industrial metals. In short, much of the oxygen of the global economy runs through a single throat. And yet there are those who believe that choking that throat is an acceptable strategy,” he said.
Observing that when Hormuz is squeezed, the pressure is immediately felt around the world, H.E. Dr. Al Jaber said: “In just 3 weeks, the price of oil has risen by 50 per cent. This is raising the cost of living for those who can least afford it and slowing economic growth everywhere. From factories to farms to families around the world, the human cost is mounting by the day.”
“Weaponising the Strait of Hormuz is not an act of aggression against one nation. It is economic terrorism against every nation. And no country should be allowed to hold Hormuz hostage, not now, not ever. And while we appreciate all efforts to stabilise markets and reduce prices, this is not a supply issue. It is a security issue, and it has only one durable answer, keeping the Strait open. We cannot trade our way out of this crisis,” he added.
ADNOC's resilience
H.E. Dr. Al Jaber said the UAE and ADNOC’s resilience on the face of the conflict was not a reaction, but the result of years of investment in infrastructure, preparation and long term planning and strategic partnerships. “For the UAE, partnership is not just something we do. It is who we are. Our commitments are concrete. Our word is our currency. And when it really matters, we step up and show up.
“That is why our relationship with all our partners, including the United States, endure. Through ADNOC, XRG and Masdar we have already invested more than $85 billion in US energy assets, supporting power generation, advanced chemicals and jobs across 19 states,” H.E. Dr. Al Jaber said, adding the United States offers a unique combination of resource depth and investment stability. “We are actively exploring opportunities across the whole value chain. And we are keen to expand our investments in hard infrastructure from storage to liquefaction to regasification plants.”
Highlighting that the crisis has revealed two very different visions, one that seeks to spread instability and the other that promotes prosperity, he said that the UAE made its choice long ago: “We built ADNOC into one of the most reliable energy companies on Earth not because disruption never reaches our borders, but because when it does, we stay the course. That’s why we have diversified how we produce energy. We have expanded the routes that connect supply to markets.
“We have integrated all sources of energy at scale. We have embedded technology and AI across our operations as the force multiplier that will define the next era of energy. And we have built a global network of partners who believe that energy security is a shared responsibility.”
Inviting the global industry to ADIPEC
Issuing an invitation for energy leaders to attend ADIPEC – the world’s largest energy event – in Abu Dhabi in November, Dr. Al Jaber said the events of recent weeks have drawn a clear line in the sand. “You can choose to be an architect of stability or a spectator to volatility. And if you believe that collaboration should prevail over conflict, then your place is with us. Stability does not happen on its own. It must be built deliberately and collectively. That is why I invite you to join us at ADIPEC this November, not just for another conference, but for a working session on the resilience of the global energy system.”
Taking place from 2-5 November 2026, at the ADNEC Centre in Abu Dhabi, ADIPEC will convene leaders from across energy, finance and technology to turn strategy into delivery and strengthen the resilience of the global energy system.
