6th Gas Exporting Countries Forum Summit: Who said what

The 6th Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) concluded in Doha on Tuesday, with the participation of several heads of states and
governments. Here are the highlights of their summit address:
The UAE
Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Suhail bin Mohamed Al Mazrouei praised Qatar’s decision to pump new investments to enhance its production capacity of liquefied natural gas. He congratulated Qatar on its brave decision to make new investments to enhance its production capacity of liquefied natural gas, which will enhance its role and the role of the region and the forum countries in supplying the world with resources needed by the global economy. In 2019, Qatar announced its intention to raise its LNG production capacity from 77 million tonnes per year currently to 126 million tonnes per year by 2027.
Russia
Minister of Energy of Russia Nikolay Shulginov affirmed his country’s commitment to export natural gas continuously, pointing out its quest to invest in natural gas as an inexpensive energy source and the implementation of sustainable development goals.He stressed the importance of taking measures to support sustainable development through the dissemination of modern energy and energy sources at affordable prices. He said his country wants contemporary economies to ensure their sustainability to transition to the use of alternative energy sources in a smooth manner.
He indicated that the GECF member states are capable of finding effective and suitable solutions to the challenges facing gas production and clean environmental ones, adding that his country is committed to United Nations resolutions and the agreements it signed, and looks forward to cooperating to formulate energy policies, especially after the last climate conference.
Iraq
Oil Minister of Iraq Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail said that the biggest challenges facing the world in the field of energy now is balancing between strengthening global energy security and eliminating what he called energy poverty to meet the increasing global demand for it, especially in the stage of recovery from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the summit coincides with a sensitive and important phase in the global energy sector and the accompanying instability and uncertainty in determining investment paths considering the transition programs towards clean energy.
He added that global variables such as the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the requirements to limit climate change are essential elements in the growth of the global economy, especially with the importance of countries’ commitment to implementing the requirements to reduce climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with United Nations agreements.
Egypt
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt Tarek El Molla affirmed that natural gas will play a pivotal role in the future energy landscape because of its effective contribution in the short and medium term and its positive impact in the long term.He said that the member states of the forum have the capabilities and abilities that enable them to overcome the current challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and move forward in the process of economic progress, expressing his confidence in the contribution of this forum to further cooperation among its members in various fields related to natural gas.
Libya
Prime Minister of the National Unity Government of Libya Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh stressed the necessity to raise the level of coordination and cooperation among the members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in a way that reduces the challenges and contributes to the optimal exploitation of this rich resource to promote sustainable development.
He said countries face various challenges that require the development of a strategic plan, as well as cooperating, coordinating, exchanging experiences, transferring technology, maintaining supplies and prices that meet the ambitions, and maintain the relationship between exporting and consuming countries, to benefit from this product in developing and diversifying economies in a way that ensures a decent, stable and prosperous life for current and future generations.
Nigeria
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources of Nigeria Timipre Sylva called on the 6th Summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Doha to adopt a new approach that responds to the recent challenges witnessed by the global energy market under the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. He said this approach should take into account the modernization of policies related to the natural gas industry and the adoption of technology and innovation and injecting appropriate investments in this industry as a way to modernize its infrastructure and develop carbon capture and storage technologies.
Azerbaijan
Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov underlined that the 6th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit in Doha is a promising platform that offers more broad cooperation opportunities to achieve common interests and search for innovative solutions to the reality of the oil industry.He stressed the important role of natural gas as clean energy for the whole world and pointed out the importance of continuing consultation and coordination between producing and consuming countries for the stability of the global gas market.
Mozambique
President of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi said natural gas is an essential element for building peace, stability, and prosperity in GECF countries. He referred to his country’s experience in the natural gas industry and its export and said that Mozambique exports on a small scale and aspire to move to the ranks of the major exporting countries represented at this summit.
He pointed out that the production of liquefied gas in Mozambique continues in full swing, which would open a new era for it, explaining that the gas project in Mozambique is major and organized and will have a significant impact on increasing income, exports, and providing job opportunities.
Equatorial Guinea
President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo stressed the importance of consultation on the principles and objectives on which the forum was based. He called for measures to encourage dialogue between producers, consumers, and other stakeholders, creating a platform for exchanging opinions and facing challenges such as low prices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, terrorism, and organized crime, especially in the Gulf of Guinea, where the threats are great to all neighbouring countries.
Trinidad and Tobago
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr Keith Rowley expressed his great confidence in the ability of the 6th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) to enhance cooperation relations among its member states. He stressed the GECF’s importance in laying the groundwork for the countries participating in the forum to work together so that natural gas becomes a sustainable energy source in the future, adding that natural gas represents a sector around which member states gather to meet all challenges and adopt it as a source of sustainable energy in the future.
Venezuela
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela Felix Plasencia affirmed his country’s commitment to the Doha Declaration, emanating from the 6th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), which was held Tuesday under the slogan ‘Natural Gas: Shaping the Energy Future’. He said the declaration will determine the path that the GECF member states should follow in the future. He added that GECF plays an important role in shaping the future of natural gas markets in the world, calling for raising the levels of dialogue between member states and other countries in the world.
Angola
President of Angola Joao Lourenco underlined the importance of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum Summit in promoting the cooperation with the African countries unable to access energy sources. In a speech to the summit, delivered on his behalf by Ambassador of Angola to Qatar HE Albino Malungo, he said natural gas is the only source of energy to many African countries; stressing the significance of the current summit in helping these countries and enhancing the recommendations issued by the fifth summit which was held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in 2019.
Bolivia
Minister of Hydrocarbons and Energy of Bolivia Franklin Molina Ortiz called on the 6th Summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum to enhance cooperation among members to ensure the quality of supplies and address the challenges faced by the natural gas industry. He affirmed the importance of adopting solutions to ensure these supplies with high transparency and credibility, including defining a framework for changing production concepts.