President Mubarak, King Abdullah Launch Arab Gas Pipeline July 2003

The first phase of the Arab natural gas pipeline, which has substantiated the Arab dream of economic integration, has been inaugurated by Their Excellencies President Hosny Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and King Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on July 27th, 2003 in a stately ceremony that was held in Taba initialing the flow of natural gas to the Aqaba Thermal Power Station

The Egyptian Minister of Petroleum, Eng. Sameh Fahmy and the Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Eng. Mohamed Batayneh, expressed in their addresses during the celebration that the project is a demonstration of the political will of the leaders of both countries for economic integration due to which the project was completed in a record time.

They summarized the success factors of the project in the following:

  • Application of the most up-to-date technology
  • A realistic work plan
  • Clear determination of priorities
  • The spirit of team work and complete dedication dominating all those working in the project (Egyptians and Jordanians)
  • The fair deal between the two countries substantiating on an equal footing the interests of all parties.
  • Finance was secured through soft loans from Arab Funds.
  • Minimization of project cost due to closeness of the distance between the two countries and participation of the national companies in the design and implementation of the project.

The Arab Natural Gas Pipeline, inaugurated by the two Arab leaders should be considered an example to be followed on how Arab bilateral cooperation may achieve the mutual interests and ambitions of the Arab people.

This achievement is to be considered a step forward to the realization of the Arab dream that has persisted for over half a century, tightening the already existing natural bonds linking Arab nations making use of their own wealth and human resources to attain their mutual goal of prosperity, security and peace.