Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)

What is the GECF about?

The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) is a gathering of the world's leading gas producers aimed at representing and promoting their mutual interests. The organisation was set up with the objective to increase the level of coordination and strengthen the collaboration between member countries. The forum also seeks to promote dialogue between gas producers and consumers. Together, the GECF holds over seventy percent of the world's current proven reserves of natural gas. 

A ministerial meeting is held every year in one of the member countries, the most recent being the 8th Ministerial Meeting in Doha, Qatar on 30 June, 2009.

It is the Mission of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum to:

• Identify and promote measures and processes necessary to ensure that Member Countries derive the most value from their gas resources, taking into consideration the nature of gas as a non-renewable source of energy.
• Promote the appropriate dialogue among gas producing and consuming countries to ensure appropriate balance in the sharing of risk associated with the gas markets and fair pricing for both producers and consumers.
• Promote common policies for access to capital and financial resources and transparency among member countries in the exchange of capital, financial data, and know-how.
• Foster mutual work for the integration of the gas markets and its stability.
• Exchange information on investment opportunities in member countries.
• Promote the acquisition and exchange of technology and experiences, and to equip Member Countries with the know-how to efficiently and effectively exploit their gas resources to the benefit of their country and peoples.

The members are Algeria, Bolivia, Brunei, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Kazakhstan, Norway, and United Arab Emirates are observers.

Ministerial Meetings of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum:

Meeting Year

Apart from the Ministerial Meetings, the GECF also has an Executive Board which mainly does all the work for the organisation. Over the years since the inception of the organisation,

What has GECF been doing recently?

The GECF is in the process of formalising its organisation and in doing so decided on Doha, Qatar to be the home of its secretariat.

At the recently concluded 8th Ministerial Meeting in Qatar, the Ministers agreed on a budget for the rest of 2009. The GECF is also in the process of selecting a Secretary General to be the formal head of the organisation and the Executive Board is coordinating this process.

Benefits for Trinidad and Tobago being a member of the GECF

Trinidad and Tobago stands to benefit from continued participation in this organisation particularly in light of this country's present role in the international gas export market as one of the largest LNG exporters worldwide and the single largest exporter of LNG to the United States.

Trinidad and Tobago also has an opportunity to have issues of interest to the country included on the agenda for discussion at the forum.  This is of particular importance as the country seeks to position itself for involvement further along the LNG value chain.

In addition, Trinidad and Tobago stands to benefit from valuable information from research and the opportunity for dialogue leading to business opportunities and prospects of technical cooperation between member countries.

At present the Organisation is in the process of acquiring a Secretary General to be the formal head of the Organisation and Trinidad and Tobago has put forward a nominee for the selection process. Trinidad and Tobago nationals also have the opportunity to obtain key positions within the organisation when the secretariat is staffed.

Upcoming Meetings

The Fourth Provisional Executive Board (PEB) meeting will be held in Doha, Qatar on the 9-10 of November, 2009; the most important matter to be finalised at the Fourth PEB meeting is the interview, assessment, and nomination procedure for the position of Secretary General. The recommendations arising from the Fourth PEB meeting will be forwarded to the Ministers for consideration and approval at the Ninth Ministerial Meeting.

The 9^th Ministerial Meeting shall be held in Doha, Qatar on December 9^th 2009.

The 10^th Ministerial Meeting shall be held in Algiers, Algeria on April 19^th 2010.