Egypt, Qatar sign deal to expand LNG trade, Egypt says

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Egypt, Qatar sign deal to expand LNG trade, Egypt says

January 4, 2026

CAIRO,— Egypt and Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding on Sunday to strengthen cooperation in liquefied natural gas, or LNG, trade and imports, Egypt’s petroleum ministry said.

The deal sets out terms for supplying Qatari LNG shipments to Egypt’s Ain Sokhna and Damietta ports.

QatarEnergy said in a statement that the agreement will provide Cairo with up to 24 LNG cargoes during the upcoming summer season.

Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country, has been seeking to expand domestic gas production and diversify its sources of imported energy to meet rising demand.

Production began to decline in late 2022, challenging Egypt’s plans to become a regional energy hub. This shortfall has prompted the country to secure imports from Israel and Cyprus, along with additional LNG shipments.

According to the Joint Organizations Data Initiative, Egypt produced 3,635 million cubic meters of gas in October, a small increase from September’s 3,525 million cubic meters but a decline from 3,851 million cubic meters in October 2024.

Despite these trends, Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi said last week that Egypt intends to achieve full self-sufficiency in oil and gas, the cabinet said.

(With files from Reuters)