GECF Concludes Summit in Qatar, Calls for Int’l Dialogue on Energy Security

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the conclusion of The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit (QNA)
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the conclusion of The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit (QNA)
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GECF Concludes Summit in Qatar, Calls for Int’l Dialogue on Energy Security

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the conclusion of The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit (QNA)
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the conclusion of The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit (QNA)

The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) concluded its sixth summit, held under the slogan of 'Natural Gas: Shaping the Energy Future' in Qatar.

The 11 gas-producing countries announced they disagree with non-UN economic sanctions against GECF member states.

The leaders of the member states or their representatives met in Doha amid the Moscow-Western crisis, which threatens gas supplies from Russia to Europe, contributing to the rise in gas prices.

Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called for strengthening dialogue and cooperation between the member states on the one hand and between exporters and importers on the other.

Speaking at the conclusion of the summit, the Emir appealed to ensure the security of natural gas supplies to world markets and "guarantee the market's stability."

On the sidelines of the summit, Sheikh Tamim received a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was delivered by Russian Minister of Energy and Minerals Nikolay Shulginov.

The Qatar News Agency stated that the message discussed ways to support and strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and issues of mutual interest.

"To further promote our role in the production of natural gas, we are endeavoring towards increasing our LNG production capacity from 77 million tons yearly to 126 million tons yearly by 2027," he said, referring to liquefied natural gas.

He announced that Qatar is building a carbon capture facility, the biggest in the Middle East, which will isolate and store 2.5 million tons of carbon per year in four years. By 2030, the facility will isolate nine million tons per year.

"Our summit confirmed our conviction that dialogue is the optimum way to achieve consensus, enhance cooperation, and protect the interests of producers and consumers for the good of their peoples."

"The State of Qatar welcomes working with everyone to make common good, security, and stability prevalent among all peoples of the world," said the Emir.

He recalled that the last two decades 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.

The Emir affirmed Doha's continued support for efforts to protect gas exporters and consumers and establish the complete and permanent sovereign rights of member states to develop and exploit their natural resources.

The summit was attended by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique, President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and other heads of delegations.

It also included senior officials, businessmen, decision-makers in the field of economy and energy, and representatives of international institutions and companies.

The GECF says its 11 members and seven associate countries account for 70 percent of proven gas reserves and 51 percent of global liquefied natural gas exports.

The United States and Australia, two other leading exporters, are not part of the forum.



IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
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IMF and Arab Monetary Fund Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA
The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki - SPA

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference on Emerging Market Economies (EME) to enhance cooperation between the two institutions.

The MoU was signed by IMF Managing Director Dr. Kristalina Georgieva and AMF Director General Dr. Fahad Alturki, SPA reported.

The agreement aims to strengthen coordination in economic and financial policy areas, including surveillance and lending activities, data and analytical exchange, capacity building, and the provision of technical assistance, in support of regional financial and economic stability.

Both sides affirmed that the MoU represents an important step toward deepening their strategic partnership and strengthening the regional financial safety net, serving member countries and enhancing their ability to address economic challenges.


Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
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Saudi Chambers Federation Announces First Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council

File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT
File photo of the Saudi flag/AAWSAT

The Federation of Saudi Chambers announced the formation of the first joint Saudi-Kuwaiti Business Council for its inaugural term (1447–1451 AH) and the election of Salman bin Hassan Al-Oqayel as its chairman.

Al-Oqayel said the council’s formation marks a pivotal milestone in economic relations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reflecting a practical approach to enabling the business sectors in both countries to capitalize on promising investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral trade and investment partnerships, SPA reported.

He noted that trade between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reached approximately SAR9.5 billion by the end of November 2025, including SAR8 billion in Saudi exports and SAR1.5 billion in Kuwaiti imports.


Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Leading Harvard Trade Economist Says Saudi Arabia Holds Key to Success in Fragmented Global Economy

Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Professor Pol Antràs speaks during a panel discussion at the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies (Asharq Al-Awsat).

Harvard University economics professor Pol Antràs said Saudi Arabia represents an exceptional model in the shifting global trade landscape, differing fundamentally from traditional emerging-market frameworks. He also stressed that globalization has not ended but has instead re-formed into what he describes as fragmented integration.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies, Antràs said Saudi Arabia’s Vision-driven structural reforms position the Kingdom to benefit from the ongoing phase of fragmented integration, adding that the country’s strategic focus on logistics transformation and artificial intelligence constitutes a key engine for sustainable growth that extends beyond the volatility of global crises.

Antràs, the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is one of the leading contemporary theorists of international trade. His research, which reshaped understanding of global value chains, focuses on how firms organize cross-border production and how regulation and technological change influence global trade flows and corporate decision-making.

He said conventional classifications of economies often obscure important structural differences, noting that the term emerging markets groups together countries with widely divergent industrial bases. Economies that depend heavily on manufacturing exports rely critically on market access and trade integration and therefore face stronger competitive pressures from Chinese exports that are increasingly shifting toward alternative markets.

Saudi Arabia, by contrast, exports extensively while facing limited direct competition from China in its primary export commodity, a situation that creates a strategic opportunity. The current environment allows the Kingdom to obtain imports from China at lower cost and access a broader range of goods that previously flowed largely toward the United States market.

Addressing how emerging economies should respond to dumping pressures and rising competition, Antràs said countries should minimize protectionist tendencies and instead position themselves as committed participants in the multilateral trading system, allowing foreign producers to access domestic markets while encouraging domestic firms to expand internationally.

He noted that although Chinese dumping presents concerns for countries with manufacturing sectors that compete directly with Chinese production, the risk is lower for Saudi Arabia because it does not maintain a large manufacturing base that overlaps directly with Chinese exports. Lower-cost imports could benefit Saudi consumers, while targeted policy tools such as credit programs, subsidies, and support for firms seeking to redesign and upgrade business models represent more effective responses than broad protectionist measures.

Globalization has not ended

Antràs said globalization continues but through more complex structures, with trade agreements increasingly negotiated through diverse arrangements rather than relying primarily on multilateral negotiations. Trade deals will continue to be concluded, but they are likely to become more complex, with uncertainty remaining a defining feature of the global trading environment.

Interest rates and artificial intelligence

According to Antràs, high global interest rates, combined with the additional risk premiums faced by emerging markets, are constraining investment, particularly in sectors that require export financing, capital expenditure, and continuous quality upgrading.

However, he noted that elevated interest rates partly reflect expectations of stronger long-term growth driven by artificial intelligence and broader technological transformation.

He also said if those growth expectations materialize, productivity gains could enable small and medium-sized enterprises to forecast demand more accurately and identify previously untapped markets, partially offsetting the negative effects of higher borrowing costs.

Employment concerns and the role of government

The Harvard professor warned that labor markets face a dual challenge stemming from intensified Chinese export competition and accelerating job automation driven by artificial intelligence, developments that could lead to significant disruptions, particularly among younger workers. He said governments must adopt proactive strategies requiring substantial fiscal resources to mitigate near-term labor-market shocks.

According to Antràs, productivity growth remains the central condition for success: if new technologies deliver the anticipated productivity gains, governments will gain the fiscal space needed to compensate affected groups and retrain the workforce, achieving a balance between addressing short-term disruptions and investing in long-term strategic gains.