Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides inaugurated the eighth edition of the Egypt Energy Show (EGYPES) 2025, held in Cairo from 17-19 February. The event drew ministers, heads of global energy companies, secretaries of international and regional organizations, and members of the Egyptian government. On the sidelines of the event, Al-Sisi and Christodoulides witnessed the signing of two agreements between Egypt and Cyprus to develop recently discovered Cypriot natural gas reserves using Egyptian infrastructure. The agreements align with the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum's strategy to establish Egypt as a regional hub for natural gas trade by receiving gas produced from Eastern Mediterranean discoveries, directing it to the domestic market, and re-exporting it to Europe. Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, George Papanastasiou, and Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Italian energy company Eni, signed the first agreement. Badawi, Papanastasiou, and Clay Neff, President of Chevron Middle East, Africa, South America Exploration and Production, signed the second agreement. The agreements are considered a step toward enhanced cooperation between Egypt and Cyprus in the energy sector. According to a statement, they represent the start of developing Cypriot gas discoveries utilizing Egyptian facilities, while negotiations continue to bring more Cypriot gas to Egypt. Earlier, Al-Sisi and Christodoulides held a bilateral meeting, followed by an expanded meeting including delegations from both countries, on the sidelines of EGYPES 2025. Discussions focused on supporting cooperation across various fields bilaterally and through the trilateral cooperation mechanism with Greece. Both sides acknowledged the momentum in their relations and affirmed their commitment to continued coordination. The discussions also addressed enhancing cooperation in the production, liquefaction, and transportation of natural gas to serve the interests of both countries and the wider European continent. According to Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson Mohamed El Shennawy, the two leaders also discussed developments in the occupied Palestinian territories. They reviewed Egyptian efforts to implement a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and Egypt's commitment to its three-phase implementation to support regional stability. They also addressed Egyptian efforts to resume and continue the exchange of hostages and detainees, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Christodoulides was briefed on Egypt's ongoing efforts to develop a comprehensive proposal for the reconstruction of Gaza without displacing Palestinians. Both presidents affirmed that establishing a Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, represents the only guarantee for achieving lasting peace in the region. El Shennawy added that the discussions also touched on the situations in Syria, Lebanon, and Libya, emphasizing the importance of preserving the stability of these countries, protecting their unity and territorial integrity, and promoting regional and international peace and security. Al-Sisi and Christodoulides also witnessed the signing of an agreement between the Egyptian Ministries of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and Electricity and Renewable Energy, and the Saudi Ministry of Energy, to develop an executive plan for cooperation in energy efficiency between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Badawi, Egyptian Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Essmat, and Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the agreement. The partnership between Egypt and Saudi Arabia aims to establish a national programme to improve energy efficiency in Egypt. The two sides will work together to prepare and implement the programme through the exchange of expertise and technical support from the Saudi side. It also includes cooperation in developing a methodology for identifying mechanisms and plans to achieve national energy efficiency goals in Egypt. On the sidelines of EGYPES 2025, Al-Sisi also received the President of Equatorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema. The Presidential Spokesperson stated that the two presidents stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen bilateral relations and explore broader avenues for cooperation across various fields. Al-Sisi affirmed Egypt's readiness to participate in development efforts in Equatorial Guinea, in line with Egypt's commitment to supporting African nations. El Shennawy added that the meeting addressed issues related to peace and security in Africa and ways to achieve stability. The presidents also reviewed ways to strengthen the African Union's mechanisms and activate its various programmes to support joint African action, affirming their commitment to working together to achieve the continent's interests in international forums. Al-Sisi also met with Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni. The CEO reviewed the company's activities in Egypt and its current and future plans for gas exploration and production. He emphasized the company's commitment to its strategic relationship with Egypt, given Egypt's role as a regional hub for energy production and trade. Al-Sisi also received John Christmann, CEO of Apache Corporation, an American company specialising in oil exploration, on the sidelines of EGYPES 2025.
