Windhoek, Namibia - 13, 14 August 2025, HE Eng. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), delivered the keynote address at the opening of the 3rd Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, held under the theme “From Exploration to Action: Positioning Namibia as the Next Energy Frontier.” In Windhoek, Republic of Namibia, on 13 August 2025 – The event was chaired by H.E. Dr. Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia, alongside Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Natangwe Ithete, Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy.
Commending Namibia’s recent offshore discoveries – including Venus, Graff, and Mopane – HE Eng. Mohamed Hamel said these milestones firmly place the country among Africa’s most promising energy frontiers. He stressed that natural gas is not merely a “bridge fuel” but a “destination fuel” – critical for securing energy supplies, powering industrialisation, and advancing sustainable development. Namibia, he noted, is entering a transformative phase in its energy journey, one that offers the promise of opportunity, justice, and shared progress.
HE Hamel reaffirmed Africa’s pivotal role in the global natural gas landscape, highlighting the continent’s vast potential to expand energy access, accelerate economic growth, deepen regional integration, and strengthen global energy security. He underscored the GECF’s unwavering commitment to Africa’s energy aspirations, as enshrined in the Algiers Declaration, which reaffirms the sovereign rights of nations over their natural gas resources and supports efforts to eradicate energy poverty, drive industrialisation, and promote inclusive socio-economic development.
Representing 20 of the world’s leading gas-producing countries – including nine from Africa – the GECF serves as a unique platform for investment facilitation, policy dialogue, capacity building, and technology transfer. HE Hamel highlighted the Forum’s proven expertise in delivering comprehensive market analysis, policy insights, and strategic partnerships to help member countries harness the full potential of natural gas in achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
In his meeting with the Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Hon. Gaudentia Krohne, MP, HE Hamel extended an invitation for Namibia to join the GECF. He noted that membership would provide access to a wealth of expertise from countries with similar experiences, create new avenues for collaboration, and support Namibia in shaping and realising its long-term energy ambitions.