Oil Minister of the Republic of Iraq H E Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail
Doha: Oil Minister of the Republic of Iraq H E Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail said that the biggest challenges facing the world in the field of energy now is balancing between strengthening global energy security and eliminating what he called energy poverty to meet the increasing global demand for it, especially in the stage of recovery from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a speech at the opening session of the 6th GECF Summit, Iraqi Oil Minister said that the summit coincides with a sensitive and important phase in the global energy sector and the accompanying instability and uncertainty in determining investment paths considering the transition programs towards clean energy.
He added that global variables such as the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the requirements to limit climate change are essential elements in the growth of the global economy, especially with the importance of countries’ commitment to implementing the requirements to reduce climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with United Nations agreements.
Minister stressed that the GECF comes to emphasize the importance of the role of natural gas as a safe source of energy and an environmentally friendly commodity by ratifying environmental treaties, promoting the reduction of gas flaring, reducing methane emissions, and developing environmentally friendly technologies, including techniques for capturing carbon gases.
In this context, Iraqi Oil Minister stressed that Iraq supports the Doha Declaration emanating from the summit, which lays out a road map to enhance the future role of gas in the global energy market considering the foreseeable challenges, in addition to supporting the efforts of the GECF to enhance the forum’s position in the global energy sector.
He stressed the importance of the forum having a platform for exchanging experiences and for enhancing technical cooperation between its countries with the aim of developing the capabilities of member states and their projects in the field of gas.
In his speech, Iraqi Minister reviewed his country’s projects in the gas sector, including changing the priorities of pumping investments from oil to natural gas.
