Egypt Energy Show 2025 unites global leaders to drive a secure and sustainable energy future
The Egypt Energy Show (EGYPES) 2025, North Africa and the Mediterranean's leading energy platform, opened on the 17th of February with a landmark inauguration by HE President Abdel Fattah El Sisi of Egypt and HE President Nikos Christodoulides of the Republic of Cyprus. Their presence underscores the importance of collaboration, investment, and technological innovation in shaping a secure and sustainable energy future for the region.
EGYPES Leadership Circle Roundtable: Shaping Egypt's Energy Future
On EGYPES second day, Egypt's Prime Minister HE Mostafa Madbouly hosted the inaugural EGYPES Leadership Circle Roundtable, joined by HE Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, HE Dr Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, HE Dr Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment and HE Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance.
This high-level dialogue provided opportunity for continued collaboration between government and industry partners, outlining the importance of developing Egypt's sustainable energy future, balancing the production and utilisation of low-carbon oil and gas alongside investment in renewables, hydrogen, power generation and energy efficiency to expedite an investor friendly low-carbon growth economy.
The Strategic Conference: Pragmatic, secure and sustainable energy development
The imperative for open dialogue on the energy trilemma remains critical despite advancements in renewable energy. Global supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability, and trade dynamics continue to challenge energy security, reinforcing the need for proactive, cross-sector collaboration and ambitious policy frameworks.
At today's Strategic Conference, a high-level panel discussion on 'Powering Electricity with Low-Carbon Fuels and Renewables' featured Karim Amin, Member of the Executive Board, Siemens Energy AG, who stated 'We are required to deal with the energy trilemma: energy security, energy sustainability, and energy affordability.'
Terje Pilskog, CEO of Scatec, further highlighted the rapid advancements in solar technology, noting 'The cost of solar panels has declined considerably over the last few years, as has the cost of battery storage, paving the way for greater renewable integration.'
In another pivotal discussion on 'Vertical Energy Corridors and Trade Hubs,' Maria Rita Galli, CEO of DESFA, reflected on EGYPES' evolution, 'EGYPES has demonstrated consistent growth, fostering partnerships across the Mediterranean while collaborating with global institutions. Last year, we secured a strategic partnership with a Greek company, resulting in a long-term contract that ensures mutually beneficial cooperation with Egypt.'
Erik Nyheim, President & CEO of Höegh Evi, emphasised Egypt's role in the regional energy landscape, stating 'Egypt holds a prominent position in the sector due to its strategic geographic location, abundant natural resources, and engagement in global markets. The nation benefits from a diverse energy portfolio offered at competitive prices.'
Sustainability in Energy Conference: Accelerating Decarbonisation
The EGYPES 2025 Sustainability in Energy Conference convened leading climate and energy experts to explore strategies for accelerating decarbonisation and achieving key interim targets by 2030.
During a keynote session, HE Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment addressed the industry's need to balance sustainability goals with energy production, distribution, and consumption. She noted that global commitments, including the Paris Climate Agreement, have driven decarbonization efforts, with Egypt making significant progress, 'At the end of last year, Egypt submitted its first transparency report to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the report showed a 34% reduction in the annual renewable energy target, compared to our target of 42% by 2030.'
The African Dialogue: Bridging North and Sub-Saharan Energy Markets
The EGYPES 2025 African Dialogue Conference facilitated collaboration among top government officials, policymakers, and industry leaders from North and Sub-Saharan Africa, addressing critical energy security challenges and the potential for enhanced regional cooperation.
Opening the discussions, Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary-General of the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO), delivered a keynote on 'Enabling Cross-Regional Collaborations Between North and Sub-Saharan Africa.' He underscored Africa's untapped potential in oil and gas infrastructure development and regulatory harmonisation as key enablers of economic growth.
Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners & Distribution Association (ARDA), reinforced the importance of balancing affordability and security within Africa's energy landscape, highlighting 'Ensuring secure and affordable energy remains Africa's top priority, but we must also leverage clean energy to drive industrialisation.'
A key panel discussion, 'Harnessing Africa's Natural Gas for Energy Security and Export Markets,' brought insights from:
Guido D'Aloisio, CCO, Saipem, who emphasised collective action 'Governments and oil companies, both national and international, must collaborate to implement sustainable energy solutions at scale.'
Gianluca Ciricugno, Enterprise Growth Market Director, Africa, Baker Hughes, who noted 'LNG technology has been present in Africa for 30 years, and we are witnessing its adaptation to market demands and customer needs.'
Suzanne Coogan, Vice President, Heartland Exploration & Namibia, Shell, who stressed
'Energy security is fundamental to economic development. Reliable and affordable energy access is crucial for industrial growth, fostering innovation, and improving living standards.'
EGYPES Exhibition: A Hub of Innovation and Collaboration
Featuring 500+ companies from 120 countries and 11 international country pavilions, the EGYPES 2025 Exhibition has once again proven to be a dynamic platform for exploring cutting-edge sustainable energy solutions. The show floor featured a dedicated Start-Up Zone, where emerging innovators presented groundbreaking solutions to industry-leading investors.
Shell took centre stage with its NXplorers Challenge, demonstrating its commitment to fostering sustainable innovation and empowering young talent through forward-thinking initiatives.
The EGYPES Young Professionals Programme continues to provide university students and early-career professionals with opportunities to engage with industry leaders, participate in hands-on projects, and develop skills for the evolving energy sector.
Celebrating Excellence: EGYPES 2025 Gala Dinner & Energy Awards
On the first day, the EGYPES 2025 Gala Dinner brought together key industry figures, government representatives, and senior executives for an exclusive evening of high-level networking and discussions on future collaborations and industry trends. This invitation-only gathering provided a platform for meaningful dialogue among the sector's most influential decision-makers.
On the second day, the spotlight turned to the EGYPES Energy Awards, where the industry's trailblazers in innovation, operational excellence, and sustainability recognised across four prestigious categories:
Best Breakthrough Project of the Year – Finalists: PETROBEL, BAPETCO, and GECO
Best Health & Safety Project of the Year – Finalists: Amr Lifescience Egypt, Aggreko, and UGDC
Operational Excellence Project of the Year – Finalists: TotalEnergies, BP, and the Ministry of Petroleum
Young Energy Professional of the Year
-Finalists: Ramy Fahmy, Norwahyu Jusoh, and Malak Manie
Winners were announced during an exclusive awards ceremony, shining a spotlight on pioneering projects and visionary leaders shaping the future of energy.
EGYPES 2025 reaffirms its position as the leading platform for advancing energy transformation, fostering collaboration, and driving investment in sustainable energy solutions. Through its conferences, exhibitions, and strategic dialogues, EGYPES continues to set new benchmarks for regional and international cooperation in the energy sector.
Plan Your EGYPES 2025 Experience
Visit: www.egypes.com
Delegate Registration: www.egypes.com/delegate
Exhibition Registration:
www.egypes.com/visit
For media inquiries, contact [email protected]
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In late May, the Ismailia Appeals Court ruled to evict the archbishop of Saint Catherine's Monastery from 14 land plots in South Sinai, part of a larger dispute with the Egyptian government over 71 plots in total. The government argued that the archbishop, in his capacity as head of the monastery, had seized land without legal basis and carried out construction without official permits. According to the verdict obtained by Mada Masr, the court granted the monastery usufruct rights over the remaining 57 plots, located both inside and outside the monastery walls. The decision triggered a wave of condemnation. The Greek orthodox churches in Athens, Jerusalem and Constantinople denounced the decision as an 'existential threat' and 'yet another historical fall' for orthodoxy and Hellenism. In response, Egypt's presidency spokesperson and Foreign Ministry swiftly defended the court order, framing it as a landmark ruling that formally established the monastery's legal standing for the first time. The verdict marked the culmination of a legal battle that had stretched over a decade. Sources familiar with the proceedings told Mada Masr the outcome came as a surprise, as expectations had favored the monastery — especially following President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's visit to Athens in early May, when he publicly reaffirmed the state's commitment to its 'eternal and untouchable' agreement with the monastery. 'The monastery holds the relics of a great saint,' he said at a press conference. 'I insisted on clarifying this point personally and I say it directly to dispel malicious rumors.' Parallel to the legal battle, Greek-sponsored negotiations were launched in June 2024 between the monastery and the South Sinai Governorate. The talks brought together officials from Greece's foreign and culture ministries, alongside the South Sinai governor, according to Christos Kompiliris, the monastery's legal advisor and representative. These negotiations resulted in a draft agreement recognizing the Greek Orthodox monastery's ownership of all 71 disputed plots, affirming its autonomy in managing its internal affairs, and establishing coordination with Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, according to the draft obtained by Mada Masr and cited by Greek media and official statements. Although the agreement was initially scheduled to be signed in early 2025, it has since been postponed. The court ruling, however, took a different path. While Egyptian authorities portrayed the dispute as a long-overdue legal clarification of the monastery's informal use of land, the Greek Orthodox Church and its patriarchates abroad saw it as an attempt to erode the legacy and holdings of the world's oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery. The ongoing dispute, as reflected in the recent court ruling and its broader context, highlights the monastery's exceptional status — not only as a place of worship, but as a living site of spiritual devotion, where monks have spent decades in seclusion. This singular spirituality of the site is being challenged by the state's invocation of public property laws, amid the acceleration of state-led development projects in the area. *** St. Catherine's Monastery sits in a valley at the foot of Gabal Moussa, within a protected natural reserve and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site. Built in the sixth century by order of Byzantine Emperor Justinian, the monastery was named in the 11th century after St. Catherine of Alexandria, a fourth-century convert to Christianity whose relics are said to rest near the monastery's altar. Affiliated with the Greek Orthodox Church, the monastery complex includes several churches, smaller monastic dwellings and a renowned library that houses thousands of rare manuscripts. Today, around 20 monks — most of whom are foreign nationals — live there, according to monastery spokesperson and legal advisor Kompiliris. The Egyptian state recognized the monastery as a historical monument through Decree 85/1993, placing its structures under the supervision of the Antiquities Ministry. In 2002, it was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list. According to three separate sources who spoke to Mada Masr, the current dispute began in 2012 following a visit to the monastery by General Ahmed Ragaey, a former military commander. Though accounts differ on the specifics of his visit, all three sources agreed that tensions broke out between Ragaey and the monks. What is certain is that Ragaey was the first to initiate legal action against the monastery, filing a lawsuit where he accused its foreign monks of unlawfully seizing state land and posing a threat to national security. He claimed the monastery controlled nearly 20 percent of South Sinai's territory and demanded their eviction. Over the years, Ragaey continued to make public accusations, alleging links between the monks and Freemasonry and promoting a conspiracy theory of an 'American-Zionist' plot to prevent Egypt from tapping into Sinai's mineral wealth. Ragaey was not alone in calling for the monastery's removal. Others, including former political and diplomatic figure Mostafa al-Feky, also called for the monastery to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Egyptian church. Ragaey died in 2021, but years prior, the same hostile rhetoric had helped fuel a broader public discourse that was eventually brought into the courts by state institutions. In 2015, the South Sinai Governorate filed a legal complaint against Archbishop Damianos, the head of St. Catherine's Monastery, according to court documents reviewed by Mada Masr. A year later, in 2022, Egypt's antiquities minister and the head of the Environmental Affairs Agency joined the case as co-litigants. They requested the doubling of the usufruct fee from LE5 million to LE10 million and widened the dispute to cover 42 additional plots of land, bringing the total number of contested plots to 71. On May 30, 2022, the South Sinai Elementary Court ruled to evict the archbishop from 29 of the plots, while dismissing the case concerning the rest of the estate. Both parties appealed the ruling — each contesting the portions that went against them — bringing the case before the Ismailia Appeals Court. Three years later, at the end of May this year, the appeals court issued its final ruling: the archbishop is to be evicted from 14 of the contested plots, with the buildings constructed on those lands deemed in-kind compensation to the state for their years of use. The remaining 57 plots would stay under the monastery's control — not as owned property, but under usufruct rights. In its ruling, the court emphasized that 'the monastery's continued use of certain plots does not confer ownership,' but rather reflects 'a special and conditional religious status that justifies reclaiming lands not directly used for religious purposes.' The decision partly hinged on the testimony of Archbishop Damianos, who acknowledged that his role in overseeing the land was religious in nature. He described himself as a custodian of monasteries, buildings and ecclesiastical lands, stating that he 'fully understands that owning these lands is not legally permissible.' 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In a rare public statement, Archbishop Damianos of St. Catherine's Monastery said, 'I am 91 years old today and I have lived at the monastery since the age of 27 — can you imagine the pain in my heart?' Although St. Catherine's Monastery is preparing to appeal the ruling before the Court of Cassation, according to an informed source who spoke to Mada Masr, the court's decision has created a new legal reality that is perceived as a threat to the monastery's continued existence as a living religious institution, rather than merely a historical site. There is growing concern that the ruling, compounded by administrative pressure and ongoing development projects in the surrounding area, could hollow out the monastery's spiritual essence, reducing it to a heritage site without monastic life — a silent facade instead of a vibrant spiritual space. 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Dömpke explained to Mada Masr that UNESCO attempted to send two official missions to assess the situation in St. Catherine: a consultative mission in 2021 and an urgent monitoring mission in 2023. However, the Egyptian government declined to facilitate either visit. Instead, in summer 2023, the government arranged a trip for the UNESCO Cairo Office, including its Director Nuria Sanz, but this delegation did not include UNESCO assessment experts or representatives from ICOMOS, the advisory body on cultural heritage. 'UNESCO's Cairo Office published a report on their visit on its website that contains striking statements disconnected from the reality on the ground and at odds with concerns raised by UNESCO's higher authorities,' Dömpke said. 'Most notably, the report claims that '… the landscaping intervention has been extremely careful with the natural and spiritual environment of the site.' 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