Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the United States announced the creation of a new Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center following a “3+1” energy ministers’ meeting held Saturday in Houston, according to a joint statement reported by Cypriot media.
The center will operate at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and is intended to support political dialogue, research and the development of energy‑sector teams across government and industry.
The Houston meeting followed decisions taken at the November 2025 “3+1” session in Athens, where the four partners agreed to advance initiatives on energy development and security in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The four countries also agreed to draft a cooperation roadmap this year, outlining shared objectives and concrete actions.
The joint statement highlighted the importance of regional interconnection projects among Greece, Cyprus and Israel — initiatives that could create opportunities for U.S. companies. It also underscored the role of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor in strengthening economic resilience and food‑supply security, describing such projects as key to diversifying energy sources.
One of the first agreed steps is the creation of a working group on cybersecurity and the physical protection of critical infrastructure.
Cyprus was represented in Houston by Energy Minister Michalis Damianou, Greece by Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou, Israel by Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and the United States by Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Damianou said the 3+1 cooperation framework has gained depth at a time of “intense geopolitical realignment and growing challenges to energy security.” He said ending Cyprus’ energy isolation remains a strategic priority, pointing to the Great Sea Interconnector project, which aims to link Cyprus and Israel to the EU electricity market through Greece. He also noted U.S. support for major strategic interconnection projects.