Minister of State for Energy Affairs, H E Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi; Minister of Oil and Gas in the Government of National Unity of Libya, President of 27th GECF Ministerial Meeting, H E Khalifa Rajab Abdulsadiq; and GECF Secretary General Eng. Mohamed Hamel with other dignitaries during the meeting yesterday.
DOHA: The Minister of State for Energy Affairs H E Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to cooperate with member states to promote natural gas as a primary vehicle to achieve access to cleaner energy.
Minister Al Kaabi was heading Qatar’s delegation to the 27th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) held in Doha, yesterday.
Delivering the opening remarks during the meeting, Minister of State for Energy Affairs said, “We must be clear in our opposition to trade barriers and discriminatory measures that disadvantage energy products, especially natural gas.”
He further affirmed that despite geopolitical tensions and faltering climate policies, the outlook for natural gas and particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG) is positive.
It is driven by economic growth in Asia, a growing desire for cleaner and more economic sources of energy, and booming power demand from data centres and artificial intelligence, Minister Al Kaabi added.
Also addressing the meeting, Minister of Oil and Gas in the Government of National Unity of Libya, President of the 27th GECF Ministerial Meeting, H E Khalifa Rajab Abdulsadiq noted that forecasts indicate oil and gas will continue to supply no less than half of the world’s energy needs. Therefore, efforts to marginalise or eliminate fossil fuels are neither realistic nor sustainable and in fact pose a threat to the global economy.
Highlighting the role of natural gas as a cornerstone in achieving a balanced energy transition, the Minister pointed out that according to GECF projections, natural gas will account for approximately 26% of global energy supply by 2050.
He said, however, achieving this requires strong policy frameworks, long-term investment, and sustained international support for the role of natural gas in achieving global sustainable development.
Expanding cooperation between energy-producing and consuming countries is essential to ensure stability, predictability, and confidence in global energy markets, he added.
For his part, GECF Secretary General Eng Mohamed Hamel noted that the world today faces a complex interplay of challenges, ranging from persistent energy poverty and economic disparity to geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, trade crises, and the need for environmental sustainability.
The GECF Secretary General said that amid these undeniable risks, natural gas stands as a beacon of stability, being a clean, reliable, affordable, and flexible energy source that fuels sustainable development and enhances energy security.
Global gas consumption reached an all-time high in 2024, contributing 40% to the incremental growth in global primary energy demand, the highest share among hydrocarbon sources. Looking ahead, the demand for natural gas is expected to grow by 1.6% this year and by 32% by mid-century, he added.
The ministerial meeting discussed a number of issues of importance to the mission of the Forum, particularly regarding the role of natural gas in the ongoing energy transition to low-carbon energy.
The GECF is an intergovernmental organisation that provides a framework for exchanging experience and information among its member countries.
As the gathering of the world’s leading gas exporting countries, the GECF seeks to build a mechanism for a meaningful dialogue between gas producers and consumers in order to improve the stability and security of supply and demand in gas markets around the world.
With 20 member countries as of 2025, the GECF enjoys a prominent position in global energy markets and among international energy organisations.
Together, they represent 72% of the world’s gas reserves, 44% of the marketed production, and 56% of pipeline exports.
Moreover, the GECF member countries collectively account for more than half of the world LNG exports (52%).
