Member Corner
Buenos Aires, Argentina | 2 June 2026 – At the ARPEL Conference 2026 in Buenos Aires, Mr Rafik Amara, Senior Gas Market Analyst at the GECF, joined distinguished policymakers and energy leaders in the Regional Energy Policies Panel, alongside Patrick Brunings, Minister of Oil, Gas and Environment of Suriname; Federico Veller, Undersecretary of Hydrocarbons of Argentina; Flavio Fama, President of the Mining, Energy and Fuels Committee of the Argentine Senate; under the moderation of Andrés Rebolledo, Executive Secretary of OLACDE. The discussion focused on the role of natural gas in Latin America's evolving energy landscape and its contribution to energy security, economic development and decarbonization. Mr Rafik Amara highlighted that natural gas is increasingly becoming not only a transition fuel, but also a strategic enabler of energy security, climate resilience and renewable energy integration. As many countries in the region remain heavily dependent on hydropower while expanding wind and solar generation, natural gas provides the flexibility needed to maintain reliable electricity systems during droughts and periods of variable renewable output. He also emphasized the importance of deeper regional gas integration to strengthen energy security, reduce exposure to global market volatility and support an orderly energy transition. Continued efforts to reduce emissions across the gas value chain through methane mitigation, CCUS and other low-carbon technologies will further reinforce the role of natural gas in a lower-emission future. He stressed that, in today's increasingly uncertain world, regional gas integration is no longer simply an option for Latin America, it is becoming a necessity to strengthen energy security, improve resilience and support sustainable economic development.