Egypt signs two agreements to supply Syria with gas and petroleum products

Egypt has signed two non-binding memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Syria to cooperate on supplying natural gas for electricity generation and petroleum products for domestic consumption, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said in a statement on January 5, cited by Al Ahram.

The talks also covered opportunities to rehabilitate Syria’s oil and gas infrastructure, with Egypt offering to draw on its experience in developing, operating and maintaining energy facilities as part of efforts to deepen long-term bilateral cooperation.

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum Karim Badawi received a senior Syrian delegation led by Ghiath Diab, deputy minister at Syria’s Ministry of Energy, according to the statement. He said Egypt is ready to provide technical expertise and operational support to help stabilise Syria’s energy sector, which has suffered extensive damage during more than a decade of conflict.

Syria’s power system has been severely constrained by fuel shortages and damaged infrastructure, resulting in widespread electricity outages and rationing in many areas. Securing reliable gas and petroleum supplies is viewed by Syrian authorities as critical to easing pressure on households and industry.

The discussions concluded with the signing of two MoUs between the two ministries. The agreements were signed on the Egyptian side by Mohamed El-Bagoury, supervisor of the ministry’s central legal administration, and by Diab on behalf of Syria.

Under the first MoU, the two sides agreed to cooperate on supplying natural gas via Egypt’s existing infrastructure, including floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) and gas transmission networks, to support electricity generation in Syria. The second MoU focuses on securing petroleum product supplies to meet Syria’s domestic needs.

The agreements come amid ongoing international sanctions on Syria’s energy sector, which have constrained financing, fuel imports and infrastructure rehabilitation. Implementation will depend on regulatory approvals, commercial arrangements and compliance with applicable international restrictions, before any gas flows or petroleum deliveries can begin.

Egypt has in recent years positioned itself as a regional gas hub, leveraging LNG import and export terminals, cross-border pipeline links and surplus processing capacity to support neighbouring markets facing supply constraints, while deepening energy diplomacy across the Eastern Mediterranean and wider Middle East.