Mitsotakis, al-Sisi focus on project to build EuroAfrica Interconnector linking power grids

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday met with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on the sidelines of an EU-African Union summit in Brussels.

According to reports, the meeting was conducted in a particularly warm atmosphere, mirroring the excellent bilateral ties enjoyed by the two countries – maritime neighbors in the eastern Mediterranean.

Cooperation in the energy sector dominated the meeting, while political, defense and bilateral economic ties were also discussed, along with developments in the wider region.

The main focus now of bilateral cooperation is the distinct prospect of connecting electricity grids, namely, from the extreme western corner of Egypt, due north across the southern Mediterranean to Crete, and from there to the Greek mainland. The project is known as the EuroAfrica Interconnector, which both Athens and Cairo have termed as a strategic priority.

Egypt is a net producer of electricity, most of which is considered as “green”. Once an inter-connector underwater line is laid, a major step will have been taken to connect North Africa’s grid with southeast Europe.

Along those lines, both leaders agreed to host a video conference in the coming days, with the participation of all involved parties.

Additionally, developments in Libya were discussed, as well as the Union’s relations with Egypt, the Arab world’s leading nation, with the influential Egyptian president expressing his appreciation over the support extended by Greece and Cyprus towards boosting EU-Egypt ties.