Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, received the 2026 Distinguished Global Leadership Award from the Middle East Institute (MEI) at its 80th Anniversary Gala in Washington, D.C., on March 25.
The award was dedicated by Dr. Al Jaber to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, as well as to the country’s frontline workers including armed forces, civil defense personnel, healthcare professionals, and others who ensured continuity during recent attacks on the UAE by Iran.
Accepting the award, Dr. Al Jaber praised Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s leadership: “Everything I know about leadership, I learned from one person. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. His vision has shaped every chapter of my journey. And I mean every chapter.” He added that Sheikh Mohamed “doesn’t talk about leadership. He embodies it.” Dr. Al Jaber further said: “Performing under pressure. Delivering stability when it matters most. Protecting all people from harm — citizens, residents and visitors alike. And ensuring the nation keeps moving forward, no matter what.”
He highlighted how this leadership is reflected throughout Emirati society: “We see it in our armed forces and civil defense… In nurses who stay at their posts while missiles and drones fly overhead… In engineers who keep the lights on when it would have been easy to stop.” Addressing global energy security concerns following Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, he said: “Weaponizing the Strait of Hormuz is not an act of aggression against one nation. It is economic terrorism against every nation…” Dr. Al Jaber questioned why such actions are tolerated internationally: “I genuinely struggle to understand why the world tolerates what can only be defined as extortion on a global scale.”
Discussing international relations amid regional instability, Dr. Al Jaber described UAE-US ties as a partnership “tested in peacetime and proven under fire,” built upon shared conviction across sectors such as energy and security cooperation.
The Middle East Institute announced Dr. Sultan’s selection for its Distinguished Global Leadership Award in July 2025; MEI was founded in 1946 with a mission to enhance dialogue between the U.S. and Middle East—an objective deemed vital amid current challenges requiring sustained engagement.
