Cyprus and Egypt sign framework agreement on natural gas
Energy security was positioned as a matter of national and regional importance by President Nikos Christodoulides, addressing the Egypt energy exhibition (EGYPES) in Cairo on Monday.
He described the current regional situation as one that “threatens stability and reshapes the global energy landscape”, adding that “energy security is not only an economic issue but also a national security, regional stability and strategic autonomy issue”.
The president said the visit marked his sixth trip to Egypt since taking office, calling it “a reflection of the strength of our friendship and partnership, especially in strategic sectors like energy”.
He also referred to his own personal ties, describing Egypt as his “second home” saying he his family roots in Alexandria.
Energy Minister Michalis Damianos, accompanying Christodoulides, signed a framework agreement with his Egyptian counterpart Karim Badawi for the development of the Kronos and Aphrodite gas fields.
Within the conference, Damianos is scheduled to participate in a ministerial roundtable on energy priorities, geopolitical realities and national security, alongside officials including Lebanon’s Energy Minister Joseph Saddi and the European Commission’s energy director-general Ditte Juul Jorgensen.
The minister will hold separate meetings with the secretary general of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum Osama Mobarez, as well as executives from BP, Arcius and ExxonMobil.
Christodoulides said the latest agreement constitutes “a key step towards the commercialisation of our gas resources”.
He stressed the urgency of bolstering resilience against geopolitical and energy-related disruptions.
“It is now paramount to strengthen preparedness against geopolitical and energy disruptions,” he stressed.
Christodoulides said stronger partnerships are required “to mitigate the risks, through diversification, shared infrastructure, and secure, affordable energy supply”, adding that Cyprus and Egypt are “uniquely positioned as interlocutors between regions to deliver in times of crisis”.
He described bilateral cooperation as having the potential to “turn uncertainty into stability, stability into opportunity, and opportunity into prosperity”, adding that “the sky is the limit when it comes to Cyprus-Egypt cooperation”.
Ahead of the visit, Christodoulides said the government is aiming for its first sale of natural gas to Europe via Egypt between 2027 and 2028, stating that Cyprus is “finally on the right track after many years”.
The agreement signed in Cairo is intended to support that objective by facilitating the use of Egyptian infrastructure for processing and export, as well as strengthening coordination between the two countries in the energy sector.