Italy and Algeria move to strengthen energy and gas ties
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to secure more gas from Algeria. The move aims to replace lost supplies from Qatar.
Italy is working to secure increased natural gas supplies from Algeria following a strategic meeting aimed at deepening energy ties between the two Mediterranean nations. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni traveled to Algiers to meet with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as Rome seeks to mitigate the impact of prolonged supply disruptions from Qatar, which has historically provided about 10% of the country's annual gas requirements.
The strengthened partnership focuses on a collaboration between the Italian energy major Eni S.p.A. and the Algerian state firm Sonatrach. The two countries intend to explore new energy frontiers, including offshore projects and shale gas development, to ensure a steady energy flow in the coming years. Meloni emphasized that these joint efforts are designed to secure the energy corridor between the two nations over the long term.
"We have decided to strengthen our cooperation — which involves our champions Eni and Sonatrach — also working on new fronts such as shale gas and offshore exploration. This will make it possible, in the long term, to strengthen the flow of gas from Algeria to Italy."
While the leaders did not provide specific details on the timeline or the exact volume of the increased supplies, the focus remains on infrastructure and exploration. President Tebboune reiterated his country's commitment to maintaining its role as a reliable energy partner for Rome amidst shifting global market dynamics during a joint press briefing.
"I wanted to underline Algeria's willingness to honour its commitments with Italy in the challenges we face regarding supplies… for oil and gas markets."
Last year, Algeria supplied approximately 20 billion cubic metres of gas to the Italian market, accounting for nearly 30% of the nation's total annual consumption. Roughly half of these volumes were managed through existing contracts between Sonatrach and Eni. Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin recently noted that the government is actively engaging with multiple international partners to secure additional supplies that would compensate for the reduction in deliveries from Qatar.
