Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, met with senior leaders from US oil major Chevron in Washington to accelerate the technical and commercial agreements required to link Cyprus’ Aphrodite gas field to Egyptian infrastructure. The meeting established a roadmap for further negotiations, with all project parties set to convene in Cairo by the end of March 2026, according to a statement by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR).
The discussions focused on finalizing the framework for transporting gas from the Aphrodite field to Egypt’s processing facilities. Badawi emphasized that leveraging Egypt’s established infrastructure is the most efficient route to bring Cypriot gas to market, ensuring mutual economic benefits for Egypt, Cyprus, and the investing partners.
In April 2025, Chevron was reported to start its seabed survey operations in early summer, adhering to the timetable for the construction of a strategic pipeline that will connect the Aphrodite gas field in the Eastern Mediterranean to Egypt, according to a statement by the government of Cyprus.
This comes after Egypt signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cyprus and Chevron during EGYPES 2025 in Cairo. The agreement lays the foundation for the commercial use of natural gas from the Aphrodite field in Block 12 of Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
During the visit, Badawi further held a meeting with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, in the presence of the Egyptian Ambassador to Washington, Motaz Zahran, and delegations from both countries.
Both sides affirmed the depth of the long-standing and established Egyptian-American relations, stressing the importance of deepening energy cooperation through ongoing discussions. These talks focus on attracting American investment, expanding areas of collaboration, and supporting efforts to ensure energy security.
Meanwhile, the Middle East Institute (MEI) in Washington hosted Badawi for an extensive roundtable discussion. In the presence of a distinguished group of Middle East experts and specialists, the session highlighted Egypt’s pivotal role as a regional hub for energy trade and transit.
Badawi further emphasized Egypt’s commitment to strengthening regional partnerships and the implementation of natural gas interconnection projects with Cyprus. He noted that Egypt’s infrastructure is ready and capable of transporting Cypriot gas supplies to Europe once production projects from the Cypriot fields are completed.
The minister highlighted that, thanks to stability and long-term vision, Egypt has succeeded in creating an attractive investment environment in the energy and mining sectors. This was achieved through legislative reforms, investment incentives, and world-class infrastructure.
