EU, Egypt to sign new strategic partnership on energy

CAIRO – 21 April 2018: EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete will be in Egypt on 22 to 24 April for a new strategic partnership on energy, an EU statement said Friday.

Cañete is leading a high-level visit with government officials and energy stakeholders.

It is scheduled that Cañete will meet with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as well as members of the Egyptian government, namely the Prime Minister, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, and Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.

The EU commissioner will sign a Memorandum of Understanding for a new strategic cooperation in energy between the EU and Egypt.

The commissioner will also meet with European energy companies and open the EU-Egypt Sustainable Energy Business Forum and Exhibition.

The statement also added that an on-site visit to the Zohr onshore gas facility in Port Said is foreseen.

The visit is a key element of the external dimension of the Energy Union, a political priority of the Juncker Commission, according to the statement.

“The EU and Egypt are strategic partners on energy. The potential for an even closer energy cooperation between the EU and Egypt is enormous, and I hope this visit will herald a new phase of closer and more intense relations amongst us,” Cañete said ahead of his visit to Cairo.

“Egypt can lead the way of the clean energy transition in the Eastern Mediterranean and thus contribute to the Paris climate goals and the worldwide decarbonization effort. Likewise, Egypt is becoming an upcoming important gas and electricity hub that can provide energy security for the EU and for the entire region,” he added.

Cañete added that there is much to gain in terms of access to new sources of energy and market opportunities, for European and Egyptian citizens and businesses alike.

“The EU stands ready to support Egypt in its energy market reforms and to boost sustainable energy investment,” Cañete stated.