Energy sustainability takes center stage at the Egypt Energy Show (EGYPES 2025), as global aspirations meet practical realities. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a roundtable discussion titled “Transforming Egypt’s Energy Future” at the Cabinet headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. He stated, “We were very keen to hold this roundtable to present various opinions and trends on current and future energy issues, in addition to reviewing and discussing the opportunities offered by this promising sector in Egypt, as well as presenting your plans to invest in this sector during the upcoming period.”
He emphasized that the government aims to create a more attractive investment climate for the energy sector through reforms and highlighted the importance of synergy and cooperation between government and business representatives to ensure effective transformation within the industry. Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi and Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat contributed valuable insights as they engaged in ongoing discussions with key stakeholders.
The two-day conference featured two ministerial panels discussing energy issues. A panel titled “Approaches to Energy Security and Industrial Competitiveness” emphasized the industry’s efforts to build resilience and strengthen international collaborations to protect energy security while ensuring a reliable supply for domestic use and export. Discussions explored how governments implement industrial policies to enhance their economies and capture a larger share of global markets.
The discussions highlighted government development agendas, including mitigating energy and national security risks, supporting economic growth, promoting social inclusion, and maintaining collaborative action on energy and climate. Panelists and attendees agreed that collaboration between countries is essential for generating value for all parties involved. Cyprus Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry George Papanastasiou stressed that for “a multilateral partnership to survive, it needs value-add from all sides.”
Egypt is leveraging its robust energy infrastructure to assist neighboring countries in overcoming geopolitical conflicts and energy security challenges. Minister Badawi echoed this sentiment, stating that “Egypt has a very strong infrastructure and a privileged location that make it a regional hub.”
Papanastasiou stated that this collaboration would help Cyprus commercialize its natural gas resources. Meanwhile, Greece aims to be a transit hub using renewables and gas exploration. Lastly, Nigeria, “a gas-producing nation…with up to 2.9 trillion cubic feet,” according to Nigerian petroleum minister Obongemem Ekperikpe Ekpo, is expanding its natural gas infrastructure to become a gas-driven economy by 2030.
Panelists also included Greek Minister of Environment and Energy Theodoros Skylakakis; Yemen’s Minister of Oil and Minerals Saeed Suleiman Al-Shamasi; and Tunisian Minister of Industry, Mines, and Energy Fatma Thabet Chiboub.
On February 18, the ministerial panel titled “Powering Egypt’s Energy Future Collaboratively and Responsibly” examined government strategies for ensuring Egypt’s future energy needs are met while creating an investment climate conducive to low-carbon economic growth. The panel addressed securing Egypt’s future energy requirements while fostering an investor-friendly environment. Distinguished panelists included Karim Badawi; Mahmoud Esmat; Mohamed Shimy, Minister of Public Business Sector; and Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment.
Badawi reinforced this collaborative spirit among cabinet members by stating, “I believe that as a team, I think the new cabinet has really worked as one team to create an environment where we can foster our sector, making it easier to accelerate investment into upstream activities or in the energy sector while enabling us to adopt a more pragmatic approach aimed at helping our partners succeed.”
Additionally, Fouad discussed the necessity of updating environmental guidelines to address global challenges effectively. She remarked, “In the short term, I would say that every few years we update our guidelines for environmental and social impact assessments. In a rapidly changing world, Egypt should be submitting its updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs).”
Meanwhile, in his remarks, Shimy emphasized the initiatives undertaken by companies under his ministry, particularly El Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company. He stated, “Within one year, we will have an electric car and an e-minibus, not an e-bus, that will help improve energy efficiency inside Egypt.”
Building on this theme, Esmat pointed out the significant opportunities for solar investments in Egypt. He noted, “We really have a great opportunity for solar investment. Renewable energy from wind is another key point. If we talk about just the first half, when we integrate renewable energy into the grid, we may discuss reducing up to 48 million tons of carbon.”
The two days conference also featured several strategic panels, discussing several topics, such as ‘A Shift in the Narrative – Energy Pragmatism’, ‘Taking Harmful Emissions out of Energy’, ‘Powering Electricity with Low-Carbon Fuels and Renewables’, ‘Vertical Energy Corridors and Trade Hubs’, ‘Connecting the Dots on Methane’, ‘Generating Downstream Value-Add’, ‘The Importance of Bankable Energies’, and ‘AI, Technology, and Energy’.
Over two days, the conference brought together key stakeholders to address pressing challenges such as geopolitical pressures, energy security, and the transition to clean energy. The event highlighted Egypt’s strategic position as a regional hub, leveraging its robust infrastructure to support neighboring countries in overcoming energy security challenges. The panels further highlighted innovations across the energy spectrum, including discussions on powering electricity with low-carbon fuels and renewables, establishing vertical energy corridors and trade hubs, and addressing methane emissions. The discussions underscored the collaborative spirit among government officials to accelerate investment in the energy sector and support a sustainable energy future.
