France joins east Mediterranean gas forum

11 Mar 2021; MEMO: Egypt yesterday said that France would take part in the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), adding that the United States will join as an observer.

"The fourth ministerial periodic meeting of the EMGF has seen France become a member and the US join as an observer," Egyptian Petroleum Minister, Tarek El-Molla, told reporters.

The meeting, which was held in the Egyptian capital Cairo, was attended by the petroleum ministers of Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Israel.

El-Molla pointed out that the meeting discussed the official requests for France to join the forum as a member.

Egypt, Israel, Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Jordan and the Palestinian Authority established the EMGF in September last year, as an intergovernmental organisation that seeks to promote natural gas exports from the eastern Mediterranean.