Doha, Qatar | 13 February 2025 - The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) convened its 50th Executive Board Meeting on 12–13 February at its headquarters in Doha, Qatar. The meeting brought together high-level representatives from GECF Member Countries—Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela—as well as Observers Mozambique and Senegal.
At the outset, H.E. Eng. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the GECF, warmly congratulated H.E. Ambassador Ella Agbo Nicholas on his appointment as Chairperson of the GECF Executive Board for 2025, recognizing his extensive expertise in natural gas affairs and international diplomacy. He also welcomed the newest Executive Board Members from Egypt, Iran, and Russia. In his remarks, the Secretary General expressed his sincere appreciation to the Executive Board members on this milestone 50th meeting, commending the progress made since the first meeting in 2009 and the GECF’s growing recognition as a leading voice for natural gas and a key platform for energy dialogue. He also highlighted that natural gas consumption reached a record level in 2024, meeting approximately 40% of the incremental primary energy demand—the highest of any fuel.
Presiding over the session, H.E. Ambassador Ella Agbo Nicholas thanked the Executive Board Members for their support. He commended the Secretary General and the GECF Secretariat for their dedicated efforts, particularly in the lead-up to this landmark 50th Executive Board Meeting. He also lauded the GECF’s increasing visibility on international energy platforms and encouraged further engagement to strengthen the role of natural gas as a reliable, sustainable, and essential energy source for global energy security and economic growth.
The meeting covered a wide range of topics, including budget execution, the rules and procedures of the Gas Research Institute, preparations for the 27th Ministerial Meeting scheduled for 23 October 2025 in Doha, Qatar, and insights from GECF flagship publications, such as the Monthly Global Gas Market Analysis, the Annual Statistical Bulletin 2024, and the forthcoming Global Gas Outlook 2050.
During the session, the Executive Board unanimously appointed Eng. Hichem Kimouche as the Head of the Data and Information Services Department.