Qatar attended the 20th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), which coincided with the 10th Anniversary of the Forum, at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday.

The event was chaired by Franklin Khan, Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Trinidad and Tobago, and President of the Ministerial Meeting.

Sheikh Mishal bin Jabor al-Thani, director of Energy Policy and International Relations Department at the Ministry of Energy Affairs represented Qatar at the meeting.

A well-attended event, the 20th Ministerial Meeting saw delegates from Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela represent their respective countries.

The chairman of the Executive Board and the secretary general were also in attendance.

The ministers noted the role of natural gas in human wellbeing and as well in the reduction of greenhouse effects, and reiterated the need for close cooperation and unity for gas development and gas business for the benefit of nations.

The Ministerial Meeting welcomed Angola as an ‘Observer Member’ of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.

The meeting discussed the ‘GECF 2018 Global Gas Outlook’ and endorsed the Secretariat’s proposal to introduce a synopsis of its findings to the public on December 7 in Vienna, Austria.

The Forum’s ‘Annual Statistical Bulletin 2018’ and the ‘GECF Short-Term Market' report were discussed and the Secretariat was thanked for its "continued improvements and efforts".

The 5th Summit of GECF Heads of State and Government will be hosted in Malabo by Equatorial Guinea, GECF said.

Furthermore, it was decided that the 21st Ministerial Meeting of the GECF will convene in October 2019, in Caracas, Venezuela.

The Ministerial Meeting appointed Venezuelan Minister Manuel Quevedo as President of the Ministerial Meeting for 2019 and Luis Alberto Sanchez Fernandez, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Bolivia, as Alternate President for the same period.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Christopher Rowley attended and delivered keynote address at the Gas Symposium.

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