Egypt–Europe Power Link via Italy: Energy Ambition Meets Maritime Security Strategy

Executive Summary

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have inked a landmark deal to advance the Egypt–Europe electricity interconnection through Italy—a 3,000 MW subsea corridor that would carry North African renewables into Europe. With feasibility and environmental studies underway, the project is shifting from planning to pre-implementation.

Beyond a green-power export scheme, this is a convergence of energy strategy, security, and diplomacy. It bolsters Cairo’s bid to become a regional power hub and frames the Mediterranean as a critical arena of energy interdependence linking Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

Project Overview: From Agreement to Execution

Under the agreement—supported by Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity, the UAE’s Masdar and TAQA, and Italian grid authorities—a 3 GW high-voltage subsea cable would connect Egypt’s grid to southern Italy. The line is designed to deliver surplus solar and wind from Egypt’s desert and Red Sea projects directly into Europe.

Feasibility and environmental assessments (2025–2026) will test technical, financial, and ecological viability, with construction targeted for 2027 subject to EU–Egypt regulatory alignment. Compared with proposed Greece and Cyprus links, the Italian route offers a more commercially scalable and geopolitically secure entry point to Europe.

Cairo’s Energy Diplomacy and Strategic Positioning

Cairo sees the interconnector as the backbone of its long-term energy diplomacy—shifting Egypt from net importer to power exporter and Mediterranean hub.

• Diversifies exports beyond LNG and hydrocarbons, establishing renewables as a new foreign-exchange stream.
• UAE participation brings capital depth and political assurance, strengthening lender confidence.
• For Italy and the EU, the link supports REPowerEU and Green Deal goals by securing clean power from a politically stable partner.

This Cairo–Abu Dhabi–Rome partnership forges a new Mediterranean axis where infrastructure amplifies influence and recasts the energy–security nexus across regions.

Security Dimension: A Strategic Maritime and Cyber Corridor

Routing through the central and eastern Mediterranean elevates security demands.

• Maritime protection: The cable traverses waters near Libya and Crete—areas with contested boundaries and illicit activity. Coordinated Egyptian–Italian naval patrols will be needed to deter interference and sabotage.
• Cyber & physical defence: Grid terminals and control systems are high-value targets. A layered regime—maritime surveillance, cyber resilience, and intelligence sharing—is essential.
• Regional stability: Ongoing volatility in the Eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea requires joint contingency planning.

For Egypt, the security architecture is an expression of sovereignty: safeguarding the cable secures Cairo’s role as gatekeeper of North Africa’s energy corridor to Europe.

Financing, Regulation, and Strategic Outlook

The feasibility phase will lock in the financial structure, grid integration, and permitting sequence. Funding is expected from UAE sovereign capital alongside European multilaterals (EIB, EBRD) and development financiers.

Regulatory harmonization with EU environmental standards is a critical path item; slippage could push commissioning beyond 2028–2029.

If executed, the link would become a template for trans-Mediterranean clean-energy cooperation, anchoring Cairo as a reliable southern gateway to Europe’s decarbonized future.

Assessment

The Egypt–Italy interconnector marks a pivot where growth, geopolitics, and energy security align. It elevates Egypt from regional producer to continental stabilizer while giving Italy an operational bridge to Africa’s renewable base. UAE involvement signals that Gulf capital is now embedded in Mediterranean energy geopolitics. Still, durability hinges on withstanding maritime, cyber, and political risks in volatile theatres. African Security Analysis (ASA) independent review finds the project technically feasible and financially bankable—provided a parallel security doctrine integrates defence, intelligence, and infrastructure protection under a unified operational framework.

Bottom Line: Why ASA’s Involvement Helps—With Realistic Boundaries

This project is more than an infrastructure build; it links energy and security interests across the Mediterranean. If implemented as planned by the sponsors and regulators, it could channel Egypt’s renewable output into Europe and deepen cross-regional cooperation.

ASA’s contribution is supportive rather than determinative. Outcomes will depend on government decisions, regulatory clearances, financing, and partner execution. Within those constraints, early ASA engagement can:

• Help identify exposure points across the maritime and cyber domains.
• Propose proportionate security-governance measures for known and emerging risks.
• Provide practical advice on compliance, resilience, and crisis-response planning.
• Offer independent, evidence-based monitoring to increase transparency for stakeholders.

In short, ASA does not guarantee results or control implementation. We aim to improve decision quality, surface risks early, and strengthen coordination—so partners can pursue the Cairo–Italy power link with clearer assumptions and more resilient plans.