Special address by Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter at the Global Water, Energy and Climate Change Congress

Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Executive Vice President Technology & Innovation

Speech|BAHRAIN|September 09, 2025

Bismillah ir Rahman ir Rahim.

Your highnesses, excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great honor to be here today under the gracious presence of His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

As we gather for the second meeting of the Global Water, Energy, and Climate Change Congress, the importance of our work has never been more pressing. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to each and every delegate for being here and for your valuable contributions over the coming days.

This year’s theme - Sustainable Water and the Energy Transition: Innovating for a Secure Future - challenges us to focus on the most urgent issues of our time. These issues extend far beyond these walls, touching every community, every economy, and every life on our planet.

Let us remember: we are not here simply to represent ourselves or our organizations. We are here to serve as stewards for future generations—responsible for ensuring that the vital resources we depend on today remain available and sustainable for tomorrow.

Those of you who joined us in 2023 may recall my call for a more realistic and balanced energy transition—one that continues to develop alternative energy while simultaneously advancing ways to reduce emissions from conventional energy systems, which remain essential to global progress.

Over the past two years, there has been a growing recognition of this reality globally. Even with trillions of dollars invested in alternatives, we cannot simply abandon the oil and gas infrastructure that continues to power modern civilization. That is why technologies such as carbon capture and storage, direct air capture, and AI-driven efficiency improvements are not just promising—they are essential to achieving meaningful emissions reductions and a sustainable future.

I also know I speak for many of us when I emphasize the acute awareness we share, especially those of us living in such hyper-arid regions, like the Gulf, the Middle East and other parts of the world, about the true value of water.

At Aramco, we are committed to water stewardship through a range of initiatives, including diversifying our water supply, so we continue to utilize for example, non-potable sources of water, we keep innovating to be able to use water that is not usable for industry, rather than using limited potable water.

We are diversifying our water supply, we are increasing wastewater reuse and we are minimizing water losses across our operations and communities. We are leveraging digital solutions to drive greater efficiency, and I am proud to share that last year alone, we reduced our freshwater consumption in Aramco by nearly 8%.

Meeting these global challenges requires a level of collaboration that is faster, deeper, and more inclusive than ever before.

For me, collaboration is the catalyst for innovation—and innovation is the driver of global transformation.

This Congress brings together an extraordinary assembly of minds, united by a shared vision. Government leaders and policymakers. Industry experts and senior executives. Academic researchers and university professors. Entrepreneurs and technology venture capitalists.

All present here today.

This diverse cross-section of talent and expertise has the potential to achieve extraordinary outcomes. When we break down barriers between sectors and foster the free flow of ideas across borders, we unlock the full potential of collective action.

This cross-pollination of ideas is key to gaining fresh perspectives and scaling up cutting-edge solutions. By working together—truly as one team—we can accelerate the transformation needed to secure a more sustainable water and energy future for all.

So, I encourage you: speak with someone you don’t know, and share what you do know. Share your knowledge, your experience, and your vision. If we unite our strengths and work as one, there is no limit to what can be achieved.

Let us ensure that innovation and collaboration guide every discussion, every decision, and every action over the next few days, and let this Congress be remembered as a pivotal milestone on the path toward a more sustainable world.

Thank you very much.