GECF gas summit kicks off in Tehran

Members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) convened in the Iranian capital on Monday for the organisation’s third annual summit.

Iranian and foreign officials are expected to use the event to discuss co-operation on natural gas trade ahead of an anticipated lifting of economic sanctions that for years have stymied Iran’s oil and gas industry.

A number of heads of state are in attendance, joining Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Among them are recently elected Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Equatoguinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.

GECF ministerial and High Level Ad Hoc Group meetings were held in Tehran in the days prior to Monday’s summit.

The GECF was created in 2001 and formalised in 2008 with the aim of protecting the sovereign rights of gas-exporting countries and enhancing co-operation between them.

Member states include Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the UAE and Venezuela. Iraq, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman and Peru are observer members.

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