GECF Gas Summit and International Gas Seminar

The IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun Xiansheng headed the IEF delegation at the 4th GECF Summit in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on 22-24 November, convened under the invitation of His Excellency Evo Morales Ayma, President of Bolivia. The Summit was attended by Heads of State, Ministers from the twelve GECF member countries and seven observer countries who gathered to exchange views on developments in the international gas market, including trends and policies which influence gas markets and its overall role in the global energy mix.

The GECF also hosted the 1st GECF International Seminar held under the umbrella of the 4th GECF Summit with the theme of Natural Gas: The Fuel of Choice for Sustainable Development. Ministers, CEOs of national and international oil and gas companies, heads of international organisations, academia and gas industry analysts engaged in a constructive dialogue on the future of natural gas. Dr Sun Xiansheng delivered remarks addressing key challenges in the natural gas market and participated in discussions on short- and long-term prospects for the gas market outlook, the security of supply and demand with a focus on Latin America, and the role of gas in reaching sustainable development goals. Discussants noted the increasingly important role of gas as the fuel of choice for the future and mitigating carbon content as the demand for energy and economic development is expected to grow over the next decade.

The 4th GECF Gas Summit resulted in the adoption of the “Declaration of Santa Cruz de la Sierra” in agreement with the GECF and its member countries. The Declaration highlights the importance of gas in energy markets, the commitment of GECF member countries to sustainable natural gas resource development and enhancing the policies and regulations of global natural gas markets. For more information, please visit the GECF website.