Economic resilience is built not only on innovation, but also on safeguarding the arteries through which trade flows, Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani has said.
Delegated by His Majesty King Hamad, Chairman of the current session of the GCC Supreme Council, the minister was participating in the extended dialogue session of the 18th BRICS Summit, held in New Delhi, India, under the theme ‘Resilience, Innovation, Co-operation and Sustainability’.
He explained that the Gulf represents a key link in these arteries, with vital maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, Bab Al Mandeb and the Red Sea.
“These waterways serve as essential lifelines for the movement of energy, food and goods. All BRICS countries benefit from these routes,” he noted, affirming the need to protect them and ensure their stability.
The Foreign Minister stressed that recent events have demonstrated that any disruption to a strategic maritime route has repercussions extending far beyond its geographical boundaries, affecting energy prices, transport and insurance costs, supply chains, food security and the ability of least developed countries to cope with cross-border crises.
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