In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Distinguished audience,
I would like first to welcome you in Doha and to express my thanks to Your Excellencies and to the representatives of member states for accepting the invitation to attend the First Summit of Gas Exporting Countries Forum GECF which has become a major gathering for decision makers and experts to discuss the issues of natural gas industry and trade, and consider the means of upgrading them with a view to enhancing the position of this vital source of clean energy worldwide.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fossil fuel still constitutes the major portion of the total energy consumed worldwide, and this status is likely to continue in the near future. Accordingly, the increasing challenges facing this industry are related to how to meet the rising demand for energy and also cover all environmental, social and economic aspects in exporting and importing countries alike, because energy is increasingly related to these aspects and each of them affects the other.
These renewed and increasing challenges urge us to look for innovative, varied and cost-effective applicable solutions guaranteeing the interests of both consumers and producers.
As you may know, exploiting hydrocarbon resources to achieve socioeconomic development has negative impacts on the environment, while natural gas has a preferential advantage compared to all other kinds of fossil fuel because it is a major source of clean energy. This advantage has in recent years led to increasing spread of natural gas use in power generation, petrochemical and metallic industries as well as domestic consumption. Though positive, this spread has not decreased the differences between oil and gas prices according to the equivalent thermal power; on the contrary, these differences have recently increased.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
GECF has been founded to protect the interests of gas exporters, along the lines of the protection and support received by coal and oil industry from multiple parties. We, therefore, have to work seriously to realize these interests without compromising the interests of gas consumers.
It is unreasonable that the differences between oil and gas prices increase in favor of the former in spite of the thermal and environmental advantages of the latter. Hence, gas exporters should not give up their fair demand for gas prices equivalent to those of oil and should use all means to realize this demand. Here, we are not talking about production control, but about other means, such as developing and supporting the technologies that increase gas use, advocating the use of gas in international and regional circles, influencing the laws that promote gas usage, enacting laws taking into account gas environmental advantages, sharing information about markets, providing technical and financial assistance and promoting the development of new markets. For example, expanding the use of liquefied gas has created an ideal solution for the problem of the fact that gas consumption markets are remote from production sites, as it is the case in East Asian markets, in addition to the problem of the heavy reliance on one supplier to meet consumption needs as it is the case in European markets. Moreover, natural gas has contributed to the opening of new markets in China and India and the increased consumption of gas in Europe and other places of the world.
On the other hand, the increased importance of liquefied gas role requires a huge increase in the volume of capital investments in all phases of production, processing and exportation as well as an essential change in the nature of the contracts governing sale and purchase operations. Therefore, there is a need to enhance long-term strategic partnerships among all players relevant to these phases.
I have here to focus on three main points:
I. The solidarity and collaboration of all GECF members are necessary to achieve its goals. The failure of some members to commit themselves to this endeavor will negatively affect the interests of all members, especially the major ones.
II. We would like to assure gas consumers that protecting exporters’ interests does not mean that it will be at the expense of their interests. We call for constructive dialogue with them through consultations and information sharing in order to develop gas and its uses to serve the interest of all.
III. Reportedly, gas importers were members of a forum for the rich. We have done our best to change this view through the opening of new markets. Now, we do not want GECF to be reportedly a forum for major exporters; rather, it welcomes any gas exporters willing to join and even encourages them to do so.
Distinguished Guests,
Qatar National Vision 2030 is based on many pillars, including economic and environmental development. Thus, we seek to develop our economy to become varied, competitive and more compatible with the requirements of environment preservation and protection from pollution. This will be achieved through many means, such as optimal exploitation of natural gas as a source of clean energy.
We have no doubt that GECF Member-States are capable of protecting their interests and continuing to play their important role in looking for ways to develop international gas markets and developing market mechanisms.
Distinguished Guests,
There are, obviously, increasing questions about energy security, in general, and natural gas, in particular. I expect the participants in this Summit to come up with valuable insights that would enrich this meeting through discussing the relevant topics and proposing ways to enhance the position of gas industry.
I hope this Summit will be a good opportunity for all of us to explore more horizons of cooperation and coordination among Member-States with a view to upgrading the gas industry.
Finally, I wish you all a fruitful Summit and a good stay in Doha.
May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be with you.