Page 10 - AfrOil Week 22 2022

AfrOil POLICY AfrOil

Poland looks to Egypt for gas supplies

EGYPT EGYPT is a prospective supplier of natural gas It is also looking to expand the Świnoujście
to Poland and the European Union, Polish Pres- facility by building a second floating terminal
ident Andrzej Duda said during a visit to Cairo to meet demand from the Czech Republic and
on May 30. Slovakia.
The EU is looking for alternatives to Rus- Poland also offered its ports to serve as a gate-
sian gas in retaliation for the Kremlin’s waging way for shipments of Ukrainian wheat to Egypt.
war on Ukraine. While several countries have The latter country, which is the world’s largest
already weaned themselves off Russian gas, wheat importer, needs to secure wheat imports
Poland included, EU’s economic powerhouses to feed its heavily subsidised bread programme,
Germany and Italy are still much dependent which serves two-thirds of its population of
on it. Those countries argue that an overnight 105mn.
ban on gas imports from Russia will plunge Poland has been seeking to facilitate Ukrain-
them into economic and social chaos. The EU ian grain exports, including by train through
is therefore preparing the ground to ensure Poland. Last week Egypt’s trade minister, Ali
supplies from other sources, with Egypt a viable Moselhi, revealed that Egypt had contracted
alternative, Duda said. four cargoes of wheat through this route.
“We believe Egypt is a very prospective part- Prior to Russia’s invasion, Ukraine supplied
ner and we absolutely support negotiations that 20% of Egypt’s wheat imports. ™
are going on between Egypt and the European
Commission when it comes to deliveries of liq-
uefied [natural] gas to the European Union,”
Duda said at a joint press conference with Egyp-
tian President Abd al-Fattah as-Sisi.
Egypt has recently stepped up gas exports
from its rich deposits, estimated to be the 16th
biggest globally. The North African country is
also the world’s 20th biggest producer of gas.
But for Poland to become an important part
of the EU’s plan to redraw the map of gas sup-
plies, it will need to scale up its infrastructure
networks.
Currently, Poland operates an LNG regasifi-
cation terminal in the north-western port town
of Świnoujście and is planning to launch a float-
ing LNG (FLNG) terminal in the Gdansk Bay
around 2026, Duda noted in Cairo. Duda addresses reporters in Cairo on May 31 (Photo: PAP/President.pl)

Algeria, Italy sign energy co-operation deal

ALGERIA THE leaders of Algeria and Italy have signed an El-Chafia, on the north-east coast, and the Ital-
energy co-operation agreement that expands ian island of Sardinia. The project will allow an
earlier deals for more Algerian energy supplies exchange of up to 2 GW of electricity between
to Italy to offset Russian gas cuts due to the war the two countries.
in Ukraine, according to a statement. Both countries called on the European Com-
After meeting Algeria’s President Abdelmad- mission to participate in the financing of the
jid Tebboune, Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella project through European banks.
said the new energy co-operation will cover In 2021, 40% of Italy’s natural gas imports
joint efforts to strengthen ecological transition. came from Russia. The Southern European
Tebboune pledged more energy supplies to country has faced energy supply challenges as a
Italy once production increases. He said the new result of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has led
energy agreement will also boost power trans- to reductions in Russian supplies.
fer. Both countries agreed to set up a submarine Last week, however, Italian Prime Minister
cable that stretches from Algeria to Italy. Mario Draghi said his country could be inde-
The 200-km long electrical interconnec- pendent of Russian gas by the second half of
tion project will link the Algerian region of 2024.

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 22 01•June•2022