Sisi voices support for expanding Italian Eni’s oil, gas activities in Egypt

CAIRO – 30 August 2020: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi voiced his support to the expansion of investment activities of Italian multinational oil and gas company, Eni, in Egypt, in the fields of exploration and production, as he met with the company’s CEO on Sunday, the Presidency said.

Eni earlier this year said it managed to drill the first exploration well in waters of Egypt’s Nile Delta, in cooperation with contractor members of BP and Total.

Meeting with Claudio Descalzi, the chief executive of Italian company, Sisi highlighted the need to accurately implement the company’s projects and to take into consideration the importance the state attaches to this vital sector.

The president urged continuing intensive cooperation with Eni and removing obstacles that may obstruct its work in the North African country, the presidential statement read, noting that Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli and Petroleum Minister Tarek Al Mulla attended the meeting, along with officials from the Italian company.

Italian Eni announces new gas discovery in Egypt's Nile Delta

CAIRO - 1 July 2020: Italian oil and gas company Eni said it managed to drill the first exploration well in waters of Egypt's Nile Delta, in cooperation with contractor members of BP and Total. In a statement, Eni said the newly discovered prospect "Bashrush", located 22 meters deep, will be tested for production.

For his part, Descalzi voiced appreciation to the Egyptian stance supporting Italy during the critical outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in the European country. He also hailed the preventive measures Egypt has followed in the sites of petrol and gas production sites.

 

Italy has reported 268,218 coronavirus cases since the crisis started and 35,477 deaths, according to Worldometers, with a horrible peak in March and April.

In April, Sisi made a phone call with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, expressing his sincere condolences for the loss of the Italian victims of the novel virus, said the Presidency.

Sisi affirmed Egypt’s solidarity with the government and people of Italy to curb the spread of the pandemic, expressing his country’s complete readiness to provide the possible medical support for Italy amid the current difficult circumstances.

Conte expressed his deep appreciation for the Egyptian support to his country, affirming Italy's keenness to enhance joint cooperation with Egypt within the framework of international efforts to combat the virus.

On March 22, 2020, An EgyptAir flight carrying medical supplies landed in the Italian Malpensa Airport to provide the Italian authority medical aid to fight the spread of the pandemic, the Egyptian national newspaper al-Akhbar reported.

The medical aid included more than one million medical face masks.