Egypt and Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening energy cooperation and ensuring a steady supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Egypt during the peak summer period of 2026.
The agreement was signed in Doha by Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, and Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and President and CEO of QatarEnergy, Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi. Under the MoU, QatarEnergy will supply up to 24 LNG cargoes to Egypt, with deliveries scheduled at the Ain Sokhna and Damietta ports throughout the summer of 2026.
As part of the arrangement, QatarEnergy and the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) finalized an executive mechanism to manage LNG deliveries, reinforcing Egypt’s efforts to safeguard energy security amid rising domestic demand. The agreement also provides a framework for discussions on longer-term LNG supply contracts and deeper infrastructure integration.
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Energy diversity
The MoU builds on talks held in May 2025, when the two ministers first explored expanded LNG cooperation and long-term energy partnerships. QatarEnergy is already active in six offshore exploration blocks in Egypt’s Mediterranean waters and plans to increase investments and launch a new drilling campaign over the next five years in partnership with global energy companies.
Egypt has been seeking to diversify its energy import sources as domestic gas production has declined since late 2022, affecting its ambition to serve as a regional gas hub. While the country continues to import gas from Israel and Cyprus, LNG supplies from Qatar are expected to play a critical role in meeting short-term demand. Despite current challenges, Egypt has reiterated its goal of regaining self-sufficiency in oil and gas production.
