The ministerial 3+1 Energy Dialogue, bringing together Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States, held last week in Houston, Texas, marks a clear step forward. A step in the direction of turning long-discussed plans into something tangible—plans that could ultimately serve not only the interests of the region, but those of a wider strategic space.
At this particular moment, when energy security is once again at the top of the global agenda, the issue is inseparable from stability. And stability, in turn, is inseparable from cooperation.
According to the joint statement issued after the meeting, the four countries agreed to draw up a cooperation roadmap setting out concrete actions and objectives in areas of shared interest, with the aim of having it approved within the year. They also welcomed the launch of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center in Houston, a development considered significant and linked to the implementation of provisions in the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019.
The gathering also highlighted the importance of the Great Sea Interconnector, described as a potential platform for broader regional cooperation, connecting Cyprus and Israel to the European Union’s internal electricity market via Greece, as noted by Cyprus’ Energy Minister, Michalis Damianos, who represented the Republic at the meeting.
For Cyprus, ending energy isolation remains a strategic priority, and this framework of cooperation moves in precisely that direction. It is an initiative that strengthens both energy security and connectivity—two factors that current developments have made even more urgent.
Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of United States support for strategic connectivity projects. Such projects, it was argued, are no longer optional in light of the geopolitical realities the region is currently facing.
The significance of cooperation with regional states has been repeatedly underlined. Cyprus and Greece have invested heavily in partnerships across their neighbourhood. That strategy is now being reinforced further with the involvement of additional major international actors, including the United States, France, Italy and others active on the global stage.
