Doha, Qatar – September 2022: The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) will hold a coordination meeting in the run-up to the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP 27), slated to take place in one of its Member Countries, the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The ‘1st GECF Coordination Meeting in the Run-up to COP 27’ will be held via videoconference on Thursday, 15 September from 3 pm - 6 pm Doha time (GMT +3). 

Being held in Africa, this edition of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties raises expectations to advance on some critical issues under the Paris Agreement framework, which are of interest to the developing countries, particularly with regard to climate ambition, long-term finance, adaptation, transfer of technology and capacity building.

The GECF meeting aims to brief its Member Countries on the latest developments concerning the UN climate change negotiating streams, and to provide a platform for its 19 Members to exchange their views and insights.

The event will begin with the opening remarks of HE Eng. Tarek El Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt, and the introductory remarks of HE Eng. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the GECF. 

Featured speakers include: Mr Bernd Hackmann, UNFCCC Secretariat; Mr Diego Pacheco Balanza, Bolivia Climate Negotiator; Mr Chukwumerije Okerek, IPCC Working Group III; Mr Zarie Zare, Environmental Coordinator of OPEC; Mr Hamza Merabet, Permanent Researcher in Algeria’s Renewable Energy Development Centre; the Egypt Representative; and Mr Mustafa Amer, GECF Researcher.