Egypt looks for boost from gas deal with Israel, EU
The EU, Egypt and Israel signed an agreement for the export of natural gas to Europe, which would reduce the latter’s dependence on Russian gas.
CAIRO — The European Union, Israel and Egypt signed a deal June 15 to boost the export of natural gas from Israel to Europe via Egypt.
The signing of the agreement came during the 7th ministerial meeting of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) held in Cairo.
Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek el-Mulla said in a statement during the signing ceremony that the deal is a very important step that can be built upon to promote cooperation between the EMGF member states, including the EU.
Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar said that the deal is an important message about the success of cooperation under the EMGF umbrella, which underscores its pivotal role in securing part of the energy supply to Europe. The fruitful cooperation would enable optimal utilization of the region’s resources and place Egypt and Israel as important players in the gas market, she continued.
