OPEC chief urges global leaders to ensure unhindered energy flow

Mohammad Barkindo, secretary-general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), attends the CERAWeek global energy forum in Houston, Texas, the United States, March 8, 2022. Mohammad Barkindo warned Tuesday that the world cannot replace Russia's share of oil exports, calling for energy depoliticization. (Xinhua/Xu Jianmei)

Barkindo hailed the efforts made by OPEC+ countries in supporting stability in the global oil market and called on them to remain attentive to changing market conditions and keep the focus on balancing the market, according to a statement released by the OPEC.

VIENNA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The head of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Wednesday called on global leaders to uphold multilateralism to ensure "unhindered, stable and secure" energy flow to the global market.

OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo made the remarks at a virtual meeting of the joint technical committee of OPEC and its allies, a group known as OPEC+.

A man pays at a gas station in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2022. Due to rise of high energy prices, Belgium markets witnessed the rise of prices of petrol, diesel, cooking oil, flour, etc, in recent times. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

Barkindo hailed the efforts made by OPEC+ countries in supporting stability in the global oil market and called on them to remain attentive to changing market conditions and keep the focus on balancing the market, according to a statement released by the OPEC.

Wednesday's meeting of the OPEC+ joint technical committee was held to examine the oil market conditions and to provide advice for the OPEC+ ministerial meeting on Thursday. The ministerial meeting, the decision-making body of OPEC+, will announce the alliance's production plans in May.

Diesel and gasoline prices are displayed on a screen at a gas station in Brussels, Belgium, March 29, 2022. Due to rise of high energy prices, Belgium markets witnessed the rise of prices of petrol, diesel, cooking oil, flour, etc, in recent times. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

In July 2021, OPEC+ agreed to raise oil output by 400,000 barrels per day each month to gradually unwind the production cuts made at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The oil-producer group has since been sticking to the plan despite calls from top consumers, including the United States, to further boost supplies to rein in soaring oil prices amid demand recovery and geopolitical tensions.