Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, met with Michael Damianos, Cyprus’s Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, to review progress on plans to connect Cypriot gas fields to Egypt on the sidelines of the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF2026) in Washington.
Egyptian-Cypriot partnership represents a successful model of regional cooperation based on mutual interests as well as the optimal utilization of existing infrastructure, noted Badawi.
The meeting follows a series of milestones aimed at advancing Cypriot gas exports through Egypt. In April, the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) signed a 15-year Gas Purchase Agreement (GPA) covering the full production volume of the Aphrodite field, with an option to extend the agreement for an additional five years.
Earlier, in March, Cyprus approved the development and production plan for the Cronos reservoir and related commercial agreements, paving the way for the country’s first natural gas exports to Europe through Egypt, targeted for 2028.
Badawi reiterated Egypt’s full support for accelerating the development of Cypriot gas fields and receiving their production through Egypt’s infrastructure for processing, liquefaction, and re-export to international markets.
Moreover, Badawi met with his Syrian counterpart Mohammed Al-Bashir to discuss cooperation in oil, gas, and energy domains. The talks reviewed progress on implementing the two countries’ Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) signed in January, including gas supplies through the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP) to Syria. They further discussed the potential of Egyptian petroleum companies’ participation in rehabilitating and developing Syria’s energy infrastructure.
Speaking during the EMGF ministerial meeting, held under the theme “Regional and International Challenges and the Future of the EMGF,” Badawi called for reactivating discussions on the development of Palestinian offshore hydrocarbon resources, which will bring a more prosperous future to the people of Palestine, in both the West Bank and Gaza, improving the lives of its citizens.
He also highlighted Egypt’s role as a regional energy hub, supported by an integrated network of gas processing facilities, transmission infrastructure, ports, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals at Idku and Damietta.
Badawi highlighted cooperation with Greece to link Eastern Mediterranean gas systems to Europe, supported by expanded LNG infrastructure and the development of the Vertical Gas Corridor, a new regional gas transport route linking Greece with Central and Eastern Europe.
He also cited the planned Egypt‑Greece electricity interconnection project with a capacity of 3,000 megawatt (MW).
He reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to integration with Jordan through the AGP and underscored the petroleum sector’s role in rehabilitating Syria’s gas infrastructure to revive the pipeline and strengthen regional energy security.
Badawi stressed that Egypt has taken major steps to improve the investment climate, noting 102 oil and gas discoveries between July 2024 and April 2026. These include the West Dennis discovery in the Mediterranean, developed by Italian Eni and British Petroleum (BP), with estimated reserves of 2 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas and 130 million barrels (mmbbl) of condensates, and the Nargis field, led by US Chevron and Eni, estimated at 2.5–3.5 tcf of gas.
