Member Corner
HE Eng. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries welcomed HE Ghulam Hoosein Asmal, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa at the GECF Headquarters today.
During the courtesy visit, the Secretary General briefed his counterpart about the GECF mission and activities, ongoing projects and upcoming events. HE Eng. Hamel outlined the importance of the forthcoming COP27, to be held in the Arab Republic of Egypt this November, as well as informed about the introduction of a separate chapter focused on the African region in the Forum’s key deliverable – GECF Global Gas Outlook 2050.
In turn, HE Ambassador Asmal outlined an interest of his country in the GECF’s expertise and cooperative support, especially when it comes to its two fundamental goals pertaining to natural gas – transition to cleaner energy and elimination of energy poverty.
Being a member of the BRICS association and the Group of Twenty (G20) major economies, South Africa has placed the issues of environmentally clean and sustainable energy usage, coal-to-gas switching policies, energy access for the poor, and the just energy transition at the forefront of its agenda, emphasised the Envoy.
The officials had a fruitful discussion on practical steps forward in deepening cooperation between South Africa and the GECF.