SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – 8 October 2026 – H.E. Dr. Philip Mshelbila, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) delivered a high-level Special Address at the Opening Ceremony of the LVI Meeting of Ministers of the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE), convened in Santo Domingo as part of the XI Energy Week.
Dr. Mshelbila addressed regional Energy Ministers and international industry leaders on the evolving realities of global energy markets, emphasizing that international cooperation remains an absolute strategic necessity in an era defined by geopolitical shifts and economic pressures.
Pointing to a pragmatic global shift toward national energy security, economic affordability and social stability, the #GECF Secretary General stressed that natural #gas has moved past its label as a mere "transition fuel" to emerge as a vital, strategic destination fuel required to meet surging power generation needs, industrialization, urbanization and the massive energy demands of digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
Turning specifically to #Latin #America and the #Caribbean, he emphasized the region's dynamic role, noting that gas demand is set to rise by nearly 80 percent by 2055, driven primarily by electricity requirements. Drawing on the region's rich natural gas resources, he underlined that natural gas serves as the critical flexible partner to support intermittent renewable energy, fuel domestic industrialization and secure cleaner cooking solutions.
To unlock this potential, Dr. Mshelbila called for predictable demand underpinned by long-term contracts, enabling timely upstream and midstream investments with enhanced regional interconnection supporting both molecules and electrons.
Concluding his address, Dr. Mshelbila reaffirmed the GECF’s commitment to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Latin America and the Caribbean, championing the strategic value of natural gas to guarantee a prosperous, secure and resilient #energy #future.
On the sidelines of the XI Energy Week, H.E. Dr. Mshelbila also participated in key high-level discussions, including the Regional Gas Integration and Energy Security Panel, organised by #OLACDE and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (#CAF), which focused on infrastructure, market integration and energy security.
The Secretary General further contributed to the #OLACDE #Business #Council #Roundtable on #Hydrocarbons and #Natural Gas, held within the framework of the IV Public-Private Energy Dialogue, sharing perspectives on the strategic role of natural gas and the importance of strengthening cooperation between governments and industry stakeholders.