Qatar Calls For Dialogue To Secure Global Gas Supply

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday called for more dialogue to ensure the security of global gas supplies amid signs of a natural gas crisis in Europe due to escalating tensions between Russia and the West.

The Qatari ruler made the call during the Sixth Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, which is taking place in the capital Doha.

"The summit is held today amidst the continued challenges posed by coronavirus pandemic for more than two years, leaving its imprint on various aspects of human life around the world," Tamim said.

He stressed that "flexibility and international cooperation are still important factors in transforming challenges into opportunities", which guarantees "the continuation of growth and prosperity that everyone seeks to achieve."

The three-day summit, which started on Sunday, is held at a time when Europe is at risk of a natural gas crisis in the event war erupts between Russia and Ukraine, which is backed by the West.

The Qatari emir underlined the importance of dialogue in the forum as "an opportunity to highlight the central role of natural gas in the desired energy transition, and in the search for a reliable source of energy that provides the right balance between achieving economic growth and dealing with environmental challenges."

"We renew our call to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between member states on the one hand, and exporters and importers on the other, to ensure the security of natural gas supplies and the stability of global gas markets," he added.

Emir Tamim expressed Qatar's commitment to support the transition to low-carbon energy by working to remove more carbon from the gas production chain.

The Gas Exporting Countries Forum was established in December 2008 as an intergovernmental organization based in Doha. It has 11 members, including Qatar, Iran, and Russia, among others.

It is primarily concerned with setting a framework for exchanging experiences and information between member states and raising the level of cooperation and coordination between them.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara -