energy
Italy strengthens gas partnership with Qatar
Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio wants his country to get more gas from Qatar. Photo: Oliver Weiken/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Italy wants to “diversify” its energy supplies. The Gulf state of Qatar also has an important role to play here.
In view of the Ukraine war to secure gas supplies, Italy wants to strengthen relations with the Gulf state of Qatar.
“I am really pleased that the Qatari authorities, who I was able to meet with Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi, have confirmed to me today that they are making efforts to strengthen the energy partnership with Italy,” Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Sunday in the Qatari capital Doha. Qatar is already the most important supplier of liquefied natural gas for Italy, the 35-year-old explained.
Effects of the war on the energy sector
Because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the associated sanctions, the impact on the energy sector must be taken into account, Di Maio further explained. Strengthening the partnership with Qatar means being independent of possible Russian gas blackmail. Like Germany, Italy is particularly dependent on Russian gas.
According to Di Maio, Italy is planning further undertakings to “diversify” energy supplies to the Mediterranean country. Last week he traveled to Algeria – another important gas supplier for Italy.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi and his minister for ecological restructuring, Roberto Cingolani, want to meet EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Monday. They also want to discuss the topic of energy in Europe. Italy’s government has already decided, among other things, to produce more gas itself, for example off the coast of Sicily.