Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz today held the first state visit of an Israeli minister to Egypt since the Arab Spring in 2011.
The visit included political meetings, including with Egyptian Energy Minister Tariq al-Mulla, and participation in the first regional natural gas forum.
The Energy Minister was accompanied by Energy Ministry Director Udi Adiri and Oil Commissioner and Natural Resources Administration Director Yossi Wirtzburger.
During the talks the ministers discussed increasing energy cooperation between Israel and Egypt, including cooperating in the field of exporting gas from Israel and Egypt to Europe.
Minister Steinitz was invited to visit Egypt next May when the establishment of the Mediterranean Sea Natural Gas Organization is expected to take place with participation of Israel, Egypt, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority as well as participation of the EU Energy Commission as an observer.
"I thank the Egyptian Energy Minister for the invitation to visit Cairo, which is further proof that the benefit of developing the gas reservoirs is not only economic and environmental, but also geopolitical," he said. "In fact, this is the most significant economic cooperation between Egypt and Israel since the signing of the peace treaty between the two countries."
