KUWAIT: Director of the Health, Safety and Environment Department at Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) Nasser Al-Buhairi emphasized the importance of bolstering security preparedness across the oil and gas sector to safeguard the stability and sustainability of this strategic industry. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a high-level Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) workshop on oil and gas infrastructure protection and crisis management, Al-Buhairi stressed that the region’s energy sector must remain fully equipped to confront both existing and emerging risks.

The three-day workshop, held at the Ahmad Al-Jaber Oil and Gas Exhibition Center in Ahmadi, is jointly organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), Kuwait Oil Company, and the GCC Emergency Management Center. Al-Buhairi noted that Gulf oil companies are working to boost operational readiness and develop their technical and human resources to face a broad spectrum of threats. He said the workshop primarily focuses on securing oil facilities and promoting collective preparedness among GCC member states. “Through the exchange of expertise and evaluation of plans, we aim to elevate the region’s response capabilities,” he stated.

He added that the initiative highlights the vital role of the oil and gas industry in the region and the evolving challenges it faces in today’s geopolitical climate. The workshop, he explained, is expected to yield key recommendations that will support the development of scientific and operational expertise while reinforcing global energy market stability through secure energy supply systems.

Al-Buhairi also underscored the strategic importance of the GCC Emergency Management Center, describing it as a pillar of the regional security framework. “The center plays a crucial role in harmonizing efforts and transferring expertise in the face of potential threats,” he said. He reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to enhancing energy sector resilience, noting that KOC benefits from a highly skilled national workforce. “The advancement of this sector is driven by identifying development needs, implementing robust plans and sharing knowledge with qualified national cadres,” he said.

The workshop, which opened Tuesday, brought together regional and international experts to strengthen crisis management capabilities and safeguard energy infrastructure. In a recorded address, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi affirmed the Gulf region’s central role in ensuring global energy security, describing the region’s energy supplies as a cornerstone of the global economy.

Director of the Health, Safety and Environment Department at Kuwait Oil Company, Nasser Al-Buhairi.

Al-Budaiwi said GCC countries are facing three core challenges: keeping pace with the global energy transition, meeting growing domestic demand and preserving the stability of international energy markets. He stressed that protecting energy assets is essential to global economic health and outlined a security vision based on regional and international partnerships, maritime security and uninterrupted energy supply.

He warned of increasing threats posed by non-state actors using drones, ballistic missiles, and other technologies to target critical energy infrastructure, calling for intensified cooperation to curb such threats and ensure compliance with international arms control resolutions. Highlighting the region’s geopolitical significance, Al-Budaiwi noted that instability in the Middle East could impact key maritime routes — including the Strait of Hormuz, Bab Al-Mandab, and the Suez Canal — disrupting global energy and trade flows.

In a separate recorded message, UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov stressed the growing urgency of protecting energy infrastructure, warning that a single terrorist attack could trigger widespread disruption across healthcare, transportation, and food supply systems. He pointed to UN Security Council Resolution 2341, which calls for the criminalization of attacks on critical infrastructure, as well as the recently developed UN Technical Guide for Protecting Critical Energy Infrastructure, produced with support from Russia and Turkmenistan.

UN Resident Coordinator in Kuwait Ghada Al-Taher described the workshop as a valuable platform to share best practices and strengthen operational frameworks. She commended Gulf countries for their leadership in energy security, while urging greater cooperation to tackle growing threats to energy networks that jeopardize environmental, human, and economic security. Chairman of the GCC Emergency Management Center Dr. Rashid Al-Marri highlighted the center’s role in fostering regional coordination and preparedness, noting the development of a comprehensive emergency plan addressing 13 categories of risk. He emphasized the value of global partnerships, especially with the UNOCT, in enhancing capacity building and training efforts.

KOC Deputy CEO for Commercial and Shared Services Musaed Al-Rasheed outlined the increasingly complex landscape of threats to the oil industry, citing geopolitical tensions, cyberattacks, and market volatility as key risks. He stressed the Gulf’s vital contribution to global energy, citing 2023 figures that showed GCC countries produced 17 million barrels of crude oil per day — more than 23 percent of global output — and hold over 511 billion barrels in reserves, accounting for nearly one-third of the world’s total. Al-Rasheed concluded by reaffirming the region’s commitment to safeguarding energy infrastructure and ensuring reliable energy supplies through robust preparedness and strategic regional cooperation. — KUNA