Thousands of leaders from across energy, technology, investment and government are gathering in Abu Dhabi after a year that is testing the global energy system in ways few could have anticipated.
If 2026 has reinforced one lesson above all others, it is that energy security and economic stability are inseparable. When energy flows are disrupted, the effects travel quickly, through supply chains, industries, transport networks, prices and ultimately people’s everyday lives.
But this year has also taught us something else: energy security is not simply a question of how much energy the world can produce. It is about how the entire system continues to deliver when it is under pressure.
Production matters. But so too does processing, infrastructure, storage, logistics and supply routes, strong institutions, diverse energy sources, skilled people, trusted partnerships, and intelligence embedded across the system.
Resilience cannot be improvised when a crisis arrives. It has to be designed, invested in and built over time.
At ADNOC, that’s exactly what we have been doing for decades. We have invested ahead of demand to expand production capacity and sources, connected our businesses across an integrated energy value chain, and built infrastructure and a portfolio that provides greater flexibility in how we produce, process and deliver energy.
We have also invested in the capabilities behind that physical infrastructure. Deploying advanced technologies and creating platforms like Panorama, our digital command centre launched in 2017, have helped provide instant access to data and improve performance. Through programs like ADNOC Future Leaders, we have developed the next generation of talent and equipped them to navigate through an increasingly complex world. And through In-Country Value, we have strengthened domestic supply chains, manufacturing capability and economic resilience, reinforcing the connection between a strong energy system and a strong economy.
The experience of 2026 has proven the value of those investments and reinforced the value of building resilience before it is needed.
That lesson matters because the pressures on the energy system are not receding.
Global energy demand continues to grow as populations expand, economies industrialise and prosperity rises. Electrification is accelerating. AI and the infrastructure that supports it are creating significant new sources of demand. At the same time, geopolitical volatility is increasing, disruption is becoming more frequent, and the system itself is becoming more interconnected and complex.
The task before us at ADIPEC is not simply to diagnose these challenges or recover from the disruptions of this year. It is to advance a more resilient, intelligent and integrated energy system capable of supporting economic progress, technological advancement and growing prosperity in the decades ahead. And to turn those conversations towards practical answers.
That requires us to think differently about both growth and resilience.
That will require continued investment in energy supply, infrastructure and technology. It will require stronger partnerships across industry, government and finance. And it will require a commitment to delivering practical solutions at scale.
That is why ADIPEC matters. By bringing together leadership, capital, technology and expertise, ADIPEC provides a platform where ideas become partnerships, partnerships become projects, and collective ambition becomes action. In a year that has reminded us of the importance of resilience, there has never been a more important time to come together to build the energy system the world needs next.
Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy is the Chairman of ADIPEC 2026
Source: The National
