Athens: Cyprus, despite its small size, plays a key role in promoting energy cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, acting as a bridge between the countries of the region and Europe, Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry George Papanastasiou said.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Papanastasiou was speaking at an international conference on energy transition in Athens, organized by Financial Times Live and Kathimerini newspaper, under the title “Energy Transition Summit.” He emphasized that energy has always been a pillar for guaranteeing stability in the Mediterranean. He added that Cyprus, with its natural gas deposits in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), can contribute to the energy supply of the region while supporting the development of the IMEC corridor, which connects India to Europe through the Middle East.
Papanastasiou stated, “The Mediterranean is a hub of connectivity and Cyprus, although smaller in size, has substantial gas reserves in its EEZ with export potential. Cooperation is the key word for a sustainable energy transition.”
The Minister participated in a Ministerial Discussion on the exploitation of regional synergies in the energy sector, alongside the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt, Karim Badawi, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Tasos Hadjivassiliou. On the sidelines of the conference, he had a private meeting at the Embassy of Egypt in Athens with his counterpart, Karim Badawi. The main subject of discussion was the important agreements signed in February 2025 between Cyprus and Egypt regarding the Aphrodite gas field, as well as the fields in Block 6 (‘Kronos, Zeus, and Kalypso’) of the exclusive economic zone of the Republic of Cyprus.