The caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during their participation in the "Climate Summit" (COP28) in Dubai. The meeting addressed the situation in Lebanon and Gaza, as well as Egypt's efforts to halt the war in the Gaza Strip and to reach a ceasefire in preparation for a comprehensive solution that considers Palestinian rights.
Additionally, the Prime Minister, in the presence of Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayyad, met with the Chairman and CEO of the French company "TotalEnergies," Patrick Pouyanné. The discussion focused on the periodic report prepared by "TotalEnergies" regarding drilling and exploration for gas and oil in Lebanese territorial waters, and the possibility of resuming drilling at a second site in Block 9. Pouyanné noted that "this matter depends on the report and results obtained so far." The conversation also touched upon the potential drilling in Blocks 8 and 10 and the proposals submitted by "TotalEnergies."
The Prime Minister expressed a wish for the report to be expedited so that, based on the results, further steps could be discussed. Furthermore, discussions included the proposal from "TotalEnergies" and "Qatar Energy" regarding generating electricity through solar energy as soon as possible.
