On the sidelines of the Gastech Exhibition and Conference 2025 in Milan, Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, held a series of meetings with the heads of major international energy companies. The discussions were part of Egypt’s efforts to support its position as a regional energy hub and attract more foreign investment.

The Minister met with Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies to discuss cooperation in exploration and production projects in natural gas and new energy activities. They also explored opportunities for injecting new investments to leverage Egypt’s advanced energy infrastructure.

The Minister further met with Musabbeh Al Kaabi, CEO of Upstream at ADNOC Group. The meeting addressed the plan for Arcius Energy, a company founded in a partnership between bp and ADNOC in December 2024, to inject new investments into Egypt’s gas sector. Arcius Energy has an objective to double its production within five to seven years, aiming to become one of the top five gas-producing companies in Egypt.

The two sides also discussed the importance of modern technology in supporting exploration and production operations. They also shed light on potential cooperation in applying artificial intelligence in the field. The Minister and Al Kaabi also touched on solutions to reduce carbon and methane emissions, as well as the importance of cooperation in human capacity building.

Badawi held another meeting with Maurizio Coratella, CEO of McDermott, a leading global company providing integrated engineering and construction solutions for the energy sector. The meeting reviewed cooperation opportunities between the two sides. Badawi presented the Ministry’s strategy, which aims to accelerate development, production, and exploration, contributing to securing the local market’s energy needs.

Furthermore, Badawi met with Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italy’s Minister of Environment and Energy Security. The meeting saw consultation and an exchange of views on enhancing joint cooperation in the fields of energy, mining, and environmental sustainability, within the framework of the long-standing bilateral relations and strategic partnership between Egypt and Italy.

Badawi emphasized the vital role Egypt plays as a regional energy hub and the importance of supporting it to achieve energy security. He highlighted the Egyptian government’s efforts to create an attractive and flexible investment environment that draws in international partners in the energy and mining sectors, supporting an increase in their contribution to the GDP.

The two sides also discussed opportunities for cooperation in the fields of energy efficiency and the production and trading of green hydrogen based on a shared vision to adopt a new model of sustainable economic growth.

The meeting also touched on the investment opportunities available to Italian companies in Egypt’s mining sector, highlighting its promising resources and potential.

In another context, Badawi discussed the critical role of energy policies in shaping the future of global energy systems in a high-level roundtable at the Gastech Conference, in a session titled ‘Strengthening Energy Policies to Achieve Energy Security and Sustainability Goals’. The session was led by Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), and focused on addressing challenges such as rising energy demand, the impacts of climate change, and ongoing geopolitical instability.

Participants emphasized that policymakers are challenged with balancing national priorities and global commitments. Facing these challenges requires providing the necessary investments for a transition to low-carbon energy systems, coordinating efforts among governments, industry stakeholders, and international investors, and building new cross-border partnerships.

The session witnessed a review of actionable strategies and policies to enhance global energy security, achieve decarbonization goals, and promote sustainable economic growth.

The Gastech Conference, held on September 9 to 12, 2025, serves as a major global platform for the natural gas industry. The event gathers key energy decision-makers, including ministers from the United States, Italy, Turkey, Iraq, and Cyprus, as well as senior representatives from the European Union and the International Energy Agency (IEA). CEOs from the world’s leading energy companies also commonly take part in the event. The conference draws approximately 50,000 participants from over 150 countries, along with 1,000 exhibitors and 1,000 expert speakers, all contributing to discussions on the future of the industry.