Sultan Al Jaber receives the Distinguished Leadership Award from "Middle East Institute" He dedicates it to the President of the State and the heroes of the front lines

HOUSTON, 26 March / WAM / His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and CEO of ADNOC and its group of companies, and Executive Chairman of XRG, received the “Distinguished Global Leadership Award” for the year 2026 from the “Middle East Institute”, which is based in Washington, DC.

His Excellency dedicated this honor to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” and to all workers on the front lines.

The award was presented during a ceremony held by the Institute in Washington yesterday on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its founding, and came in recognition of the contributions of His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber in developing practical solutions across the fields of energy, industry, advanced technology and economic growth, in addition to his commitment to enhancing international cooperation and advancing long-term development efforts, and his call to adopt a realistic, practical and comprehensive methodology to meet the increase in demand for energy resulting from the rise of emerging markets and the significant growth witnessed by artificial intelligence data centers.

While receiving the award, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber highly appreciated the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” and his guidance throughout his career. He said: “Everything I know about leadership and management I learned from my master, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God protect him. His vision played the greatest role in shaping all the chapters of my life and my professional career, and I mean that literally, every chapter.”

He added that His Highness embodies leadership through a clear approach represented in continuous work to improve performance regardless of pressure, achieve stability in the most difficult circumstances, protect all residents of the UAE, citizens, residents and visitors, from any threat or harm, and ensure the continued progress and development of the nation regardless of the circumstances.

His Excellency explained that the world has recently witnessed the practical results of His Highness’s vision and leadership approach on the ground, during the exceptional circumstances that the region is going through, which has increased global appreciation for the approach of steadfastness that distinguishes the UAE.

In his speech, His Excellency conveyed a message to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which he praised the wise leadership and forward-looking vision of His Highness, and said: “Sir, in the past weeks, during my discussions with a number of visitors and residents of the Emirates, as well as with leaders, investors and partners from various parts of the world, including here in Washington, the message was one and clear, which is that the world has become fully aware of the wisdom and integrity that the Emirates embodies.” Dignity, solidity and humanity. These are the results of the vision and approach of Your Highness’s leadership on the ground, and this is what the world witnessed in the most important times, and this is the consistency of the approach that distinguishes the UAE.”

His Excellency highlighted the leadership approach of His Highness, which is characterized by his interest in strategic affairs, as well as his constant presence with society and people in various regions of the country.

His Excellency praised the efforts of the front-line heroes and their pivotal role in protecting the nation and ensuring the continuity of the institutions’ work after the illegal, unjustified, and terrorist Iranian attack on the country.

He said: “We have seen the great steadfastness of our armed forces and civil defense teams who maintain the security and safety of the nation under constant attack, and in the nurses who remained in their positions while missiles and drones were flying above them, and the engineers who kept the electricity supply going when it was at risk of being interrupted. No one asked these heroes to be courageous, because it is essentially an inherent part of their personalities.”

His Excellency explained that the events of the past weeks emphasized a fundamental fact, which is that energy security is not just a slogan, but rather the difference between the continuation of the functioning of life’s facilities or their cessation, and that the path of energy supplies from the region to the world passes through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil, a third of its fertilizers, and huge quantities of raw materials that drive the global economy pass. He stressed that when the security of passage through the Strait is threatened, all the economies of the world feel the impact of that.

He said: “The Iranian military threat to pass through the Strait of Hormuz is not an act of aggression against a specific country, but rather economic terrorism against all countries of the world, and against customers and families who need access to energy and food resources at a reasonable cost. When Iran holds the Strait of Hormuz hostage, all countries of the world pay the price for it at every gas station, in every grocery store and pharmacy. I find it very difficult to understand the global tolerance for what can only be described as clear blackmail to the entire world.”

In his speech, he stressed the UAE’s commitment to the approach of building bridges of cooperation and building partnerships to support growth and progress through openness, communication, dialogue, and opening trade corridors.

He highlighted the established partnership between the UAE and the United States of America, describing it as a partnership that has been tested in times of peace and has proven itself under pressure. It is based on a firm conviction and not merely temporary interests, and extends across the fields of energy, trade, investment, technology and others, adding that such a partnership is becoming more important now than ever before, because our region stands at a crossroads.

His Excellency said: “There are two options for the future of the Middle East region: one exports crises and destabilizes, and the other focuses on building industries and development. One invests in using agents to destabilize security, the other invests in progress, one seeks to build bombs, and the other builds bridges of communication. The UAE made its choice a long time ago. We chose openness instead of isolation, dialogue instead of conflict, and opening trade corridors instead of conflicts.”

It is worth noting that His Excellency contributed during his professional career to strengthening relations between the UAE and the United States by expanding cooperation in the fields of energy, investment, and common strategic interests. He also stressed the importance of practical partnership in supporting regional stability, consolidating UAE-US relations, and ensuring the security and sustainability of energy resources’ access to markets.

In July 2025, the Middle East Institute announced the selection of His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber to receive the “Distinguished Global Leadership Award for 2026.”

The institute, which was founded in 1946, contributes significantly to enhancing dialogue, communication, and cultural exchange between the United States and the Middle East region.

These roles are particularly important at a time when continued communication and practical cooperation are essential to achieving regional stability.

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