Africa Russia Monitoring Desk Islamabad
Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb has called for the creation of a mechanism to facilitate investment in gas infrastructure. He made the statement at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit on 27 October.
Discussing the challenges facing the global energy market, the Algerian Prime Minister noted that the gas industry is operating under very difficult conditions, particularly given the need to ensure energy security, address environmental and climate change challenges and overcome energy poverty on the African continent.
“We therefore call for a constructive dialogue that will lead to the creation of an institutional mechanism to organise and channel investment in this sector in the right direction,” Ghrieb noted.
He also pointed out that, in the context of efforts towards the energy transition, the gas sector should be regarded as a partner and one of the cleaner energy sources, rather than an obstacle.
“We believe that natural gas is not an obstacle to the energy transition, but a source of support for it. Energy security must be balanced in terms of needs, supply and demand, as well as fair pricing. We believe it is essential to ensure sustainable gas supplies so that the domestic development needs of each country are also taken into account,” the Prime Minister said.
Ghrieb also called on GECF countries to pay greater attention to introducing innovations in the gas sector and conducting research aimed at reducing emissions and improving the sector’s performance through digitalisation and the use of artificial intelligence and its capabilities.
The Gas Exporting Countries Forum Summit is taking place in Moscow on 27 October under the chairmanship of Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the sidelines of the event, the Russian leader is expected to meet Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and Chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi.
In September last year, Russia and Algeria agreed to co-ordinate their efforts in the energy sector, including co-operation within OPEC+ and the GECF, and to expand collaboration in electricity generation and the development of mineral deposits.
