Merième Addou, AfricaNews reporter in Rabat, Morocco
EU and Egypt signed a Memorandum of understanding to enhance EU-Egypt energy cooperation. This covers its bilateral Action plans cooperation in the fields of energy policy, electricity and gas markets, energy networks and energy efficiency and promotion of renewable energy sources.

The developments of energy networks as well as technological, industrial cooperation are also captured under this MOU.
The bilateral cooperation upgrade the cooperation between the two parties in the field of energy to promote technology exchange, recognising Egypt's role as the sixth largest natural gas supplier to the EU and a key transit country between the Middle East, Africa and the EU.
The energy sector is gaining a growing importance in the relations between Egypt and the EU, and is outlining its multifaceted role in fostering sustainable economic development and regional cooperation, particularly in developing all energy sources in the European Union, Africa, and the Middle East, especially that European Union is developing an integrated energy policy in order to deal with energy sustainability and climate change
Moreover the price volatility in oil and gas and the general availability of conventional energy calls for more international cooperation.
Egypt is a significant oil producer and an emerging supplier of gas in the Mediterranean region Due to major recent discoveries, natural gas is likely to be the primary growth engine of Egypt's energy sector for the foreseeable future. Egypt's natural gas sector is expanding rapidly with production having increased over 30 percent between 1999 and 2007.
Egypt also plays an important role in exports of liquidized natural gas and global oil transport via the Suez Canal, and is currently engaged in the development of regional gas and electricity networks. In addition of that the country has considerable potential for the development of renewable energy sources, particularly wind and solar, and is actively participating in EU-Mediterranean energy cooperation.