Iran, with the initiative of the martyr leader of the Islamic Revolution, is striving to establish the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (Gas Exporting Countries Forum) as an effective international entity in the natural gas market. This entity was formed with the aim of enhancing the role of natural gas as a cleaner fuel and organizing gas markets.
History of GECF Establishment
The initial idea for establishing this forum was proposed in January 2007 during a meeting between the martyr leader of the Islamic Revolution and Igor Ivanov, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council. The main objective of this forum was to create coordination and cooperation among gas-rich countries, focusing on Iran and Russia, which together hold about half of the world's gas reserves.
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After this idea was proposed, it was welcomed by the Emir of Qatar during a visit by Russian officials to Qatar, and since then, the process of institutionalizing this forum has accelerated. In fact, Russia and Qatar, with Iran as the focal point, became the driving forces behind transforming this forum into an international entity.
First Meetings and Objectives of the Forum
The first meeting of senior experts from gas-exporting countries was held on March 3 and 4, 2001, in Tehran. In this meeting, the oil and energy ministers of 10 countries, including Algeria, Brunei, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Norway, as observers, agreed on specific objectives. These objectives included strengthening the concept of mutual interests, providing a platform for research and exchange of experiences, and promoting a transparent and stable market.
Additionally, the members of the forum agreed that this entity would continue its activities informally at that time. The primary goal of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum was to create a space for dialogue and exchange of technical and economic information among major gas producers and exporters.
Considering the regional nature of gas markets, the main objective of GECF was not merely to emulate OPEC, but to organize the natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets and their respective markets. The mechanisms of GECF are fundamentally different from OPEC due to structural differences and dependence on pipelines and long-term contracts.
In the early years of its establishment, the forum operated informally and without a charter. This was a deliberate choice to reduce the sensitivity of consuming countries, especially Europe and the United States. The years 2001 to 2007 are known as the period of "forum preparation," during which members focused on exchanging experiences and examining the structure of gas markets.
Ultimately, at the seventh ministerial meeting of the forum in December 2008, the draft charter of GECF was approved, and Doha was chosen as the headquarters of this forum. This choice was made not only because Qatar is the largest LNG exporter but also due to its attractive advantages and hosting facilities.
From 2001 to 2005, most of the forum's activities and projects were voluntary, and countries independently covered the operational costs. For example, Iran proposed the need to harmonize gas contract frameworks in one of the meetings and took on the costs.
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