Cyprus, Greece and Egypt to accelerate connection of Cypriot gas to Egyptian infrastructure

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi adopted a joint declaration following the trilateral summit in El Alamein on 8 September. The parties agreed to accelerate the connection of Cypriot gas fields to Egypt’s gas infrastructure and promote the GREGY electricity interconnector project.

Energy security was described in the declaration as a common interest and one of the foundations of trilateral cooperation. The GREGY project envisages connecting the energy systems of Egypt and Greece, while gas from offshore Cypriot fields is planned to be sent to Egyptian processing facilities.

The permanent secretariat of the trilateral mechanism will be based in Nicosia. It will monitor the implementation of the agreements and strengthen institutional coordination among the three countries.

Legal migration is a separate item in the declaration. The leaders agreed to expand cooperation in this area and develop organised employment opportunities for Egyptian workers in Cyprus and Greece, in accordance with applicable legislation and bilateral agreements. The document also covers water security and the sustainable management of water resources, as well as the expansion of trade and mutual investment.

The parties stressed that agreements on the delimitation of maritime zones should be concluded on the basis of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Turkey has not signed this convention.

Cyprus, Greece and Egypt supported the mediation efforts of UN Secretary-General António Guterres aimed at resolving the Cyprus problem. The declaration noted that a final settlement of the Cyprus problem would significantly strengthen peace and stability in the region.