27 October 2026 | Moscow, Russia
We, the Heads of State and Government of the Member Countries of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), met in Moscow, the Russian Federation, on 27 October 2026, year of the 25th GECF Anniversary, at the invitation of His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.
1. Recalling:
1.1. The Declarations of the GECF Summits held in the State of Qatar (2011), the Russian Federation (2013), the Islamic Republic of Iran (2015), the Plurinational State of Bolivia (2017), the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (2019), the State of Qatar (2022), and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria (2024);
2. Reaffirming:
2.1. The absolute and permanent sovereign rights of Member Countries over their natural gas resources;
3. Acknowledging:
3.1. The commitment of Member Countries to developing their respective resources in order to reinforce their role as reliable suppliers of natural gas to meet rising energy demand, enhance global energy security, and support economic and social development;
3.2.The dominant contribution of natural gas to global primary energy supply growth over the past decade, accounting for the largest share among all energy sources, and its expanding role in meeting rising global energy demand, driven by economic and demographic growth, urbanization, industrialization, improving living standards, transport electrification, increasing heating and cooling needs, and rapidly growing digital infrastructure, including data centres and artificial intelligence applications;
3.3. The surging role of natural gas as a critical energy source across the electricity, industrial, residential, commercial and transport sectors, as well as a strategic feedstock for the petrochemical and chemical industries, driving industrialization through the production of value-added products and providing an economically efficient means of energy transmission and storage;
3.4. The growing impact of natural gas on electricity generation as a provider of stable baseload power within a balanced low-carbon energy mix and as an adaptable dispatchable source backing up hydro and intermittent renewables;
3.5. The growing impact of natural gas in reinforcing global food and water resources sustainability, particularly as an indispensable feedstock for ammonia and nitrogen-based fertilizer production, and as an important component of desalination technologies and modern agricultural systems in countries facing resource constraints, alongside international cooperation efforts aimed at advancing integrated and sustainable water resources management and strengthening the water-energy-food nexus, including through relevant global initiatives such as the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to be hosted in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which provides an important platform for highlighting the contribution of reliable and sustainable energy, including natural gas, to water resources and sustainable development.
3.6. The evolving global energy landscape, marked by a renewed focus on national energy security and socioeconomic development;
3.7. The crucial function of natural gas in fostering sustainable development across its economic, social, and environmental pillars, while serving as a cornerstone for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7, and empowering developing and emerging economies to eliminate energy poverty, reduce exposure to price volatility and expand affordable access to clean cooking and electricity;
3.8. The pivotal role of natural gas in advancing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies through its low carbon intensity and minimal pollutant emissions, taking into account the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), while addressing the Energy Trilemma by strengthening energy security, enhancing energy affordability, and ensuring environmental sustainability;
3.9. The notable progress achieved by the upstream sector in limiting methane emissions and carbon intensity, particularly through the curbing of routine flaring and enhanced utilization of associated gas, reflecting collective efforts to address environmental considerations;
4. Expressing:
4.1. Our deep concern over the adverse impact of geopolitical developments, particularly in the Middle East, on the stability, security and resilience of the global gas market, including disruptions to gas supplies, heightened uncertainty over the security of gas supply and demand, increased investment risks and significant gas price volatility.
4.2. Our firm objection to the extraterritorial application of national and regional legal frameworks and the imposition of unilateral coercive measures unauthorized by the United Nations;
4.3. Our profound concern about the impact of tariff-based measures that may hinder market efficiency, secure energy supplies and investment flows;
5. Encouraging:
5.1. Technological neutrality as a fundamental principle of natural gas sector development, ensuring non-discriminatory access to technologies, investments and markets, and upholding the sovereign right of countries to determine their technological pathways in line with national energy and industrial strategies, taking into account each country’s national context, capabilities and priorities;
5.2. The enhancement of bilateral and multilateral relations between Member Countries, including by improving regional interconnectivity through the development of cross-border infrastructure and joint resource initiatives, as well as by facilitating trade in gas equipment and technologies via mutual certification programs, technology transfer and the localization of production to strengthen local content;
5.3. The diversification of natural gas trade and logistics routes across maritime and land-based corridors, including through the development and recognition of regional gas hubs and transit infrastructure, to enhance supply chain resilience, reduce concentration risks and adapt to evolving supply and demand patterns, supported by the expansion of small-scale LNG value chains to improve energy access in remote and underserved regions, foster inclusive development and reduce regional disparities;
5.4. The multilateral dialogue to harmonize technical standards and ensure operational excellence and environmental performance in the gas industry;
5.5. The strategic deployment of the full spectrum of modern technologies across the gas industry, including artificial intelligence, to enhance operational efficiency, minimize environmental impact, and reduce production costs;
5.6. The pursuit of fair value for natural gas, particularly through the use of long-term contracts and diversified pricing mechanisms, such as oil indexation, in international gas trade to ensure equitable risk sharing, enhance price predictability, mitigate market volatility, secure the necessary investment in natural gas infrastructure, including underground and LNG storage, and support a stable gas supply;
6. Resolve our common determination to:
6.1. Establish response mechanisms for gas market crises, including enhanced high-level consultations to assess the impact of exogenous shocks, safeguard reliable gas supply, and develop effective instruments to support energy security;
6.2. Strengthen cooperation among Member Countries in ensuring the continuity of global gas supply chains, maintaining freedom of navigation and uninterrupted commercial operations, and safeguarding critical gas infrastructure, including production facilities, pipelines and LNG carriers, through knowledge sharing, joint risk assessments and the development of coordination mechanisms against physical, cyber and hybrid threats, thereby contributing to global economic stability;
6.3. Advance pragmatic, just, and balanced low-carbon energy transitions by leveraging natural gas as the most efficient energy source, ensuring global energy security, promoting economic and social progress, and supporting a realistic climate agenda, fully aligned with the principle of technological neutrality;
6.4. Promote the global expansion of natural gas as an abundant, affordable, and sustainable energy source across all economic sectors, in particular in the power sector as a reliable baseload source for multiple applications, including data centres, and as a flexible dispatchable source for balancing intermittent renewables; in the industrial sector as an efficient option for hard-to-abate industries and a vital feedstock for petrochemicals; and in the transport sector as a viable alternative for maritime and road transportation;
6.5. Position natural gas globally as a “destination fuel” of long-term relevance and a strategic lower-carbon substitute for higher-carbon energy sources, enabling immediate carbon emissions reductions, lowering air pollution and associated health impacts, and strengthening climate resilience, while meeting growing energy demand without compromising energy security;
6.6. Foster effective dialogue and strategic partnerships with traditional and emerging gas-consuming nations and regional organizations to support their efforts in expanding gas utilization, adopting gas-friendly policies, formulating gas master plans, developing critical infrastructure, and enhancing knowledge and capacity building, while establishing formal channels to resolve market and technical issues, secure gas demand, stimulate investment, and guarantee open, transparent, and non-discriminatory access to specific natural gas markets;
6.7. Strengthen engagement with intergovernmental organisations, including the UN and multilateral institutions, to advocate for recognizing natural gas as a sustainable, low-carbon energy source, and to support its integration into international regulations, financing frameworks, and energy transition strategies through rigorous, fact-based scientific, technical, and market analysis, while ensuring equitable access to international financing mechanisms for gas projects;
6.8. Reinforce the environmental leadership of natural gas by advancing broad strategies, such as the decarbonization of the gas industry through accelerating the deployment of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and scaling low-emission hydrogen production, as well as curbing methane emissions and minimizing the overall carbon intensity of the global natural gas value chain;
6.9. Fortify the GECF’s position as the preeminent global intergovernmental platform for Member Countries to coordinate strategic positions on natural gas-related matters, including market performance and gas advocacy, and to support informed, evidence-based decision-making, while encouraging broader membership in the GECF and increasing its international visibility;
6.10. Enhance scientific and technological cooperation among Member Countries through information exchange, innovation, technology transfer, the sharing of best practices, and training through the GECF Gas Research Institute, to strengthen collective technological sovereignty;
6.11. Expand educational and human capacity-building activities within the GECF through professional engineering and managerial training, with a special focus on a dedicated track for young professionals to engage in regular research cycles and joint analytical work, while also promoting the professional development of women in the natural gas sector;
6.12. Support the exploration of possible financial and investment mechanisms to support natural gas projects, including the assessment of dedicated instruments and platforms aimed at investment risk mitigation and improved access to long-term financing, without creating binding financial commitments for the Member Countries.
The Heads of State and Government of the Member Countries of the GECF extend their appreciation to His Excellency Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, for his excellent leadership of the 8th GECF Summit, as well as to the Government and the people of the Russian Federation for their warm hospitality and excellent arrangements.