Member Corner
Paris, France | 22 April 2026 — HE Dr Philip Mshelbila, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), delivered a keynote address at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum 2026. In his remarks, HE Mshelbila underscored that ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have created a new reality, suddenly elevating energy security to a matter of national security. Disruptions at critical supply hubs, including the Strait of Hormuz and damage to strategic infrastructure at Ras Laffan, the world’s largest LNG liquefaction facility, had roiled gas markets and driven price spikes. HE highlighted that the desperate measures being taken by the market have triggered a “knee-jerk reaction” that could become systemic if this crisis is prolonged. How long the crisis persists is a key determinant of recovery outcomes. Addressing the Africa-focused conference, HE Dr Philip Mshelbila underscored that the continent has a vital role to play in meeting growing global demand, highlighting the enormous natural gas endowment across GECF Member Countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Nigeria, and Mozambique, among others. He added that although starting from a small base, Africa will not only be the fastest growing natural gas demand region in the world, but will also contribute the fastest growing supply over the next 30 years, starting from a humble base. To achieve this growth, Africa needs massive investment. However, there is a disconnect between perceived risk and underlying fundamentals for investment on the continent. The message from today’s energy landscape is unmistakable: there is an urgent need to ramp up upstream investment to address natural decline and deliver growth, while strengthening domestic infrastructure and regional pipeline connectivity to expand lucrative gas value chains across Africa and integrate them effectively with renewables. Looking ahead, HE Dr Mshelbila outlined that natural gas is an integral component of the future energy system, and that by harmonizing regulatory frameworks, attracting long-term investment, advancing regional integration, and developing value-added processing capacity on the continent, African nations can effectively utilize their vast natural gas resources for economic development, social progress and environmental protection.