Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry congratulated on Wednesday Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati on his success in forming the new Lebanese government, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

Over the phone, Shoukry, who is currently in New York to participate in the high-level meetings of the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), wished Mikati success in dealing with the great challenges currently facing Lebanon amid the worsening economic situation.

“Egypt spares no effort in coordinating with brotherly and friendly countries to achieve what is in the interest of the people of Lebanon with the aim of restoring the situation in this [brotherly] country to what it was before the situation worsened,” Shoukry told Mikati in the phone call, “by providing support in various fields that would push the Lebanese economy forward and finding solutions to the energy problem.”

In early September, the energy ministers of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan agreed to revive the Arab Gas Pipeline to transport Egyptian gas to Lebanon to generate electricity amid the ongoing Lebanese energy crisis.

“Egypt is working to speed up coordination for the delivery of Egyptian natural gas to Lebanon through Jordan and Syria, given Egypt’s keenness to ease the burdens of the Lebanese people and to contribute to Lebanon's support and stability,” Egyptian Petroleum Minister Tarek El-Molla said during a joint press conference in Jordan on 8 September.

As per the agreement, Egyptian gas will be transported via Jordan and Syria to northern Lebanon to activate gas-operated power plants that had been dysfunctional for 11 years.

Lebanon’s energy crisis significantly worsened when its two main power plants, which had been generating 40 percent of the country’s energy, were shut down in July due to fuel shortages.

From his side, Mikati invited the Egyptian foreign minister to visit Beirut in the nearest possible time, Wednesday’s statement said.

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