UAE Joins EastMed Forum as Observer
The UAE has joined the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) as an observer member, Egypt's presidency reported on December 16, following talks between Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Cairo.
EMGF's six main members Egypt, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Jordan signed a charter agreement in September, formally establishing the forum, which aims to develop regional gas supply. The Palestinian Authority also has representation, and France has request to join, while the EU and the US are seeking observer status.
"The two sides ... [expressed] the importance of the added value that the UAE will contribute to the forum's activities to serve strategic interests and enhance co-operation and partnership between the forum countries," Egypt's presidency said in a statement.
The UAE became a net importer of gas in 2008 because of growing power demand and the increased use of gas in oil recovery. It takes supplies from Qatar via the Dolphin pipeline, and also receives LNG.
Egypt, Israel and Cyprus want to export more gas, having made a series of major discoveries in the East Mediterranean in recent years. Fellow EMGF members Greece, Italy and Jordan, on the other hand, are gas importers. Israel began supplying gas to Jordan from its Leviathan field at the start of this year, and it is working with Cyprus, Greece and Italy to promote the EastMed pipeline, which would carry up to 10bn m3/year of Israeli and Cypriot gas to southern Europe.