The Gas Exporting Countries Forum celebrated its 5th Anniversary as an international organization at the Ritz Carlton in Doha, State of Qatar. The ceremony was attended by members of the Diplomatic corps as well as dignitaries from the State of Qatar and other relevant industry leaders.

The event commemorates five years since the Agreement on the Functioning of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and the Statute of the GECF was signed by the representatives of the governments of 11 Member Countries during the 8th Ministerial Meeting held in Moscow, Russia, on December 23, 2008.

In his welcome address, the Secretary General of the GECF, HE Leonid Bokhanovskiy, reiterated the relevance of the Forum as a platform for cooperation and exchange of ideas for a stable and transparent natural gas market.

In this farewell message, Mr. Bokhanovskiy emphasized that to get to this point, it required not only commitment and dedication but, most of all, support. He used the opportunity to thank and appreciate HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, for his support and contributions to the development of the Forum, as well as HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Father Emir, for his role in establishing the GECF Secretariat in Doha; HE Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, the Minister of Energy and Industry; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all other dignitaries and institutions in the country that continue to contribute to the cordial relationship the Forum is enjoying with the Government and People of Qatar.

He thanked everyone for their support and contributions in the affairs of the GECF, and prayed that the friendship and support offered to him during his tenure will be extended to his successor H.E. S.M. Hossein Adeli, who takes over from Mr. Bokhanovskiy as Secretary General of the GECF effective January 1, 2014, for a term of two years in accordance with the GECF Statute.