Member Corner
Paris, France | 22 April 2026 — During the Ministerial Dialogue on “Unlocking Africa’s Gas Supply for Global Energy Security” at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum 2026, HE Dr Philip Mshelbila, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), underscored Africa’s pivotal role in the future of global energy security. HE Dr Mshelbila emphasized that natural gas remains central to both energy security and industrial development, particularly across emerging economies in Africa. He highlighted that while the continent is endowed with vast natural gas resources, unlocking this potential requires stable regulatory frameworks, enhanced investor confidence, and stronger regional cooperation and integration to facilitate the delivery of African energy to a growing African market. He further stressed that Africa’s energy future will be determined not merely by its resource base, but by its ability to deliver integrated energy systems, aligning gas supply with power generation and industrial demand domestically and across borders to drive sustainable economic growth across the region. Concluding his remarks, the Secretary General, Dr Mshelbila noted that the real challenge lies in implementation – translating resource potential into economic and social value, calling for coordinated efforts to transform Africa’s energy landscape into a fully interconnected, resilient, and competitive system.