Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the United States confirmed their intention to give a more concrete framework to the 3+1 energy dialogue during a ministerial meeting held in Houston, focusing on energy security, critical infrastructure, regional interconnections, and the development of offshore natural gas resources in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The meeting was a follow-up to the commitment made in Athens in November 2025, during the previous ministerial meeting of the Eastern Mediterranean 3+1 Energy Dialogue, to resume work in the United States within the second quarter of 2026. At the same time, the four sides agreed to proceed in the coming months with regular contacts at the level of working groups, aiming to draft a Cooperation Roadmap for the 3+1 Energy Dialogue.
According to the joint statement, the participants discussed areas of common interest and ongoing cooperation, including energy security, development of offshore natural gas resources, energy innovation, research and development, as well as regional infrastructure and interconnectivity.
Special emphasis was placed on the protection of critical infrastructure. As one of the first practical actions, the four countries agreed to establish a working group on cybersecurity and physical protection of critical infrastructure. The representatives of the four sides stressed that coordination on energy infrastructure and policy issues can enhance both cybersecurity and physical security of critical infrastructure, deepen strategic ties, and strengthen regional diplomacy through long-term partnerships.
In the field of interconnections, the participants highlighted the importance of regional interconnectivity initiatives and projects between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, which, as they noted, can create opportunities for American companies. They also referred to the importance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) in enhancing economic resilience and secure supply chains.
The joint statement recognizes that these initiatives are key drivers of economic prosperity through the diversification of energy supply sources.
The four sides also welcomed the launch of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, which took place later that day. They acknowledged the Center's role in supporting research and policy dialogue among participating countries, as well as in creating synergies between the public and private sectors for innovative energy solutions.
The Roadmap under development will outline goals and actions in the areas of common interest discussed at the Houston meeting, including the utilization, where appropriate, of the new Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center.
The competent ministries of the four countries aim to approve the Roadmap within the current calendar year. At the same time, it was agreed that the next ministerial meeting of the 3+1 format will take place in Israel at a date to be determined.
