Saudi Arabia hosts 17th International Energy Forum ministerial meeting in Riyadh

Saudi Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, opened the 17th International Energy Forum (IEF17) ministerial meeting in Riyadh today. The event, hosted by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy and co-hosted by the Republic of Italy and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was held under the slogan "Energy Security and Shared Goals in a New Era."
In his opening remarks during the ministerial session, Prince Abdulaziz emphasized Saudi Arabia’s proven ability to ensure reliable energy supplies, maintain investment, and remain prepared for various challenges. He noted that Riyadh has become a global capital for energy security and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening the reliability of energy supplies under all circumstances.
Prince Abdulaziz highlighted the East-West Pipeline as a testament to Saudi Arabia’s forward-looking approach, enhancing the resilience of the energy system by providing an alternative route for global supplies via Yanbu on the Red Sea.
He stressed that energy security is a shared responsibility that no single country can shoulder alone, calling for effective international cooperation and coordination. Energy security, he said, is fundamental to economic stability and sustainable growth, and neglecting it could undermine economies and their competitiveness.
Prince Abdulaziz recalled the sharp volatility in energy markets in 2008, underscoring the importance of dialogue, investment, and preparedness to meet changing market demands.
He praised the International Energy Forum as a platform that brings together producing, consuming, and transit countries to foster dialogue, discuss challenges, understand different perspectives, and identify practical areas for cooperation to support energy security.
Prince Abdulaziz noted that developing energy infrastructure takes years and that enhancing its resilience requires investment and preparation ahead of need. While maintaining energy system flexibility comes at a cost, the price of being unprepared could be much higher for the global economy. He added that energy security requires investment across the entire system, including refining, transport, pipelines, and infrastructure. Saudi Arabia, he said, adopts a comprehensive approach to energy security, covering petroleum, gas, renewables, nuclear, and geothermal energy.
The minister chaired the IEF17 meeting alongside Italy’s Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri. The opening session was also attended by the IEF Secretary General, Engineer Jassim Issa Al-Shirawi.
The meeting, held within Riyadh Energy Week, brought together energy ministers from around the world, industry leaders, and heads of international organizations. Participants discussed issues related to energy security, market stability, investment, and ways to enhance dialogue and cooperation between producing and consuming countries amid global energy market changes.
Ministers and energy sector representatives expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its people following attacks targeting civilian infrastructure, affirming that holding the ministerial meeting in Riyadh reflects the Kingdom’s high resilience and spirit of unity and shared commitment.
The IEF Secretary General, along with ministers and participating delegations, welcomed the announcement of the United States’ return to the forum, reaffirming the IEF’s importance as a neutral platform for dialogue between energy producers and consumers and its role in supporting data-driven research and reporting.
The meeting’s program included several panel discussions. The first, moderated by Dr. Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global, addressed energy security as a shared responsibility, fundamentals of energy markets, supply chain resilience, and shifts in supply and demand. The second session, led by Dr. Amrita Sen, founder and head of research at Energy Aspects, focused on investment, trade in sustainable energy solutions, and ways to improve access to affordable, reliable clean energy. The closing session explored the role of dialogue between producers and consumers and the importance of data transparency in supporting energy market stability.
Speakers emphasized the need to ensure reliable energy supplies and boost investment in this vital sector. They discussed the role of trade and technology in supporting various energy pathways, according to each country’s priorities and circumstances. Discussions highlighted several priorities, including strengthening infrastructure resilience, diversifying supply chains, investing in production, refining, LNG, power grids, and storage, as well as expanding new technologies and critical minerals supply chains.
The closing session reaffirmed the importance of shared responsibility for energy security, the need for sustained investment across all energy systems, and support for sustainable and affordable energy pathways.
Riyadh Energy Week also featured the seventh meeting of heads of organizations participating in the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI), coordinated by the IEF. The meeting discussed the initiative’s roadmap for 2026–2030, aimed at enhancing countries’ data capabilities and providing more comprehensive and up-to-date data on oil and gas, including inventories and refined products.
Ministers at the meeting welcomed continued cooperation under the joint work program between the International Energy Agency, the IEF, and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The IEF ministerial meeting, whose secretariat is based in Riyadh, is the world’s largest gathering of energy ministers and a leading platform for dialogue between energy producers and consumers. It aims to enhance global energy security through open and inclusive dialogue covering all energy sources, technologies, and systems.