Egypt said on Tuesday that a newly signed agreement to supply natural gas to crisis-hit Lebanon via Syria is part of a broader strategy to bolster regional stability and deepen energy integration across the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi made the remarks during talks in Cairo, stressing that cross-border gas cooperation has become central to energy security and economic resilience in a region strained by conflict, fiscal stress and power shortages, according to a statement from the foreign ministry.
The Lebanon deal, they said, reflects Egypt’s growing role as a regional energy hub, leveraging its infrastructure, diplomatic ties and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities to connect producers and consumers amid volatile global energy markets.
Under the agreement signed on December 28, Egypt will supply natural gas to Lebanon’s Deir Ammar power plant, a critical facility for a country that has endured years of chronic electricity shortages and economic collapse. The gas will transit through Syria, reviving a route that has long been hampered by political and financial obstacles.
Lebanon has struggled to secure reliable fuel supplies since its financial system imploded in 2019, leaving state power utility Electricité du Liban unable to operate at capacity. Most households rely on private generators, at high cost and with heavy environmental impact.
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Cairo and Beirut had previously signed a similar deal in 2022, alongside Jordan, but the plan stalled over financing constraints and concerns linked to US sanctions on Syria. Egyptian officials say renewed regional coordination has now created momentum to move forward.
Abdelatty and Badawi said the gas supply fits into a wider framework aimed at supporting stability through economic interdependence. “Natural gas cooperation is increasingly important as a cornerstone for strengthening regional energy security and supporting sustainable development,” the foreign ministry quoted them as saying.
The ministers also pointed to a separate energy agreement between Egypt and Qatar, signed earlier this week, as evidence of deepening ties among key regional players. The deal provides for an unspecified number of Qatari LNG cargoes to be delivered to Egypt’s Sokhna and Damietta terminals.
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Egypt, once a gas importer, has positioned itself as a processing and re-export hub, using its LNG plants to serve regional producers that lack liquefaction capacity, while also supplying domestic demand. Officials say cooperation with gas-rich Qatar allows both countries to maximise economic returns and contribute to the stability of energy markets.
The talks also covered Egypt’s strategy of diversifying energy sources and partnerships, including plans to export LNG to Europe via Cyprus, as European countries seek alternatives to Russian gas.
“This approach ensures energy security and promotes sustainable economic growth,” the ministry said, adding that Egypt aims to integrate fossil fuel exports with a longer-term push into renewable energy and green hydrogen.
Both ministers highlighted the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, headquartered in Cairo, as a key platform for coordination among gas-producing and consuming nations in the region. The forum brings together countries including Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Jordan and Italy, and has been touted as a mechanism to reduce tensions through energy cooperation.
Abdelatty and Badawi also stressed the need for close coordination between their ministries to capitalise on Egypt’s infrastructure and reinforce its ambition to serve as a hub not only for natural gas, but also for renewable energy and related logistics services.
The Lebanon agreement comes amid a flurry of regional energy diplomacy. On Monday, Egypt and Syria signed two memoranda of understanding to export natural gas and petroleum products to Syria, as Damascus grapples with severe fuel shortages after years of war and sanctions.
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While challenges remain including financing, infrastructure constraints and the geopolitical sensitivities of operating through sanctioned territory Egyptian officials say the expanding web of gas deals reflects a pragmatic drive to use energy as a tool for economic recovery and regional stabilisation.
For Lebanon, any sustained gas supply could offer a rare reprieve from blackouts. For Egypt, analysts say, the deals underscore Cairo’s bid to turn energy diplomacy into both economic leverage and a stabilising force in a fragmented region.
