Suhail Al Mazrouei stresses the need to enhance the flexibility of supply chains and diversify their paths
Saint Petersburg, April 2, 2017 – His Excellency Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, stressed that the accelerating geopolitical changes, especially in vital sea lanes, impose a new reality on the global trade system, which requires adopting a proactive and clear approach to dealing with geopolitical challenges and the need for all countries to commit to ensuring the security of the main waterways connecting the countries of the world, and enhancing the flexibility of supply chains.
This came during His Excellency’s participation in the Transport and Logistics Forum held in the city of Saint Petersburg in the Russian Federation during the period from April 1 to 3, which was opened by His Excellency Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stressed during his opening speech that Russia is working to digitize the transport market, develop logistics and driving systems, and is ready to exchange experiences and launch joint programs in science and technology to support a modern transport system that keeps pace with the 21st century.
President Putin also described the transportation and logistics sectors as a fundamental pillar of the global economy, pointing out that they are currently witnessing profound transformations and are exposed to major geopolitical challenges.
In the opening ministerial session, which included a number of participating ministers, His Excellency Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei reviewed the vision of the United Arab Emirates in developing an integrated transportation and logistics system capable of adapting to the increasing global challenges.
His Excellency explained that what Iran is doing by closing the Strait of Hormuz and targeting commercial ships and oil and gas tankers constitutes an unprecedented threat to supply chains and affects the stability of global markets and the rise in commodity prices, stressing the importance of joint international action to ensure freedom of navigation and secure supply lines.
His Excellency added that the challenges witnessed by some strategic sea lanes in the region represent a worrying precedent in the global trading system, stressing that these lanes are vital arteries for the international economy, and they should not be subjected to any practices that threaten their security or the safety of navigation, and that remaining silent about these practices places the global economy in constant danger.
His Excellency stressed that protecting freedom of navigation and the safety of ships and sailors is a collective responsibility that falls on the international community, calling for unifying efforts and strengthening international coordination to confront any practices that would undermine the stability of supply chains or expose the marine environment to the risks of pollution.
His Excellency also stressed that no country has the right to disrupt international trade or threaten supply lines, as this has direct repercussions on global energy and food security, stressing that any negligence in this issue will have repercussions affecting the lives of individuals and economies around the world.
His Excellency pointed out that the United Arab Emirates has adopted a proactive vision by investing in an advanced, multimodal infrastructure, which includes a national railway network extending more than 900 kilometers, linking ports on the eastern and western coasts. He also praised the efficiency of land and sea transportation and the federal infrastructure and its ability to adapt and face challenges, providing alternative and effective solutions for transporting goods, and enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the logistics system.
His Excellency added that the country continues to expand its capabilities through regional connectivity projects, including the Hafeet railway project with the Sultanate of Oman, which is a strategic pillar for enhancing economic integration and raising the capacity of trade movement in the region. He stressed the UAE’s readiness to complete and accelerate the Gulf railway connectivity.
His Excellency pointed out the pivotal role played by the country’s ports, as global re-export centers, to contribute to linking global markets regionally and globally, and to consolidate the UAE’s position as a major hub in the international trade movement.
His Excellency stressed that the next stage requires strengthening international coordination, and investing in alternative corridors and flexible and smart infrastructure, to ensure the sustainability of global supply chains under all circumstances, stressing that these chains represent the arteries of the global economy and cannot tolerate exposure to risks.
On the sidelines of the forum, His Excellency held a series of bilateral meetings with a number of His Excellency ministers, including His Excellency Andrei Nikitin, Russian Minister of Transport, and His Excellency Ilham Rustamovich Mukhakimov, Uzbek Minister of Transport, where ways were discussed to enhance joint cooperation and develop strategic partnerships between the UAE and both countries in the fields of transport and logistics services, and exchange experiences in developing infrastructure and enhancing the efficiency of regional and international connectivity.
His Excellency is accompanied at this event by a high-level delegation that includes a number of senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, along with representatives of Etihad Rail and a number of national entities and companies related to the transport and logistics sector, which reflects the UAE’s keenness to strengthen its international presence and consolidate its strategic partnerships in this vital sector.
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