Algeria seeks to create gas hub in Italy for supplies to Europe

The Algerian authorities would like to create a gas hub in Italy, through which the Algerian gas would go to other EU countries, said Abdelkrim Touahria, Algerian Ambassador to Rome.

“We want Italy to become a European hub for Algerian gas. A junction for other EU countries,” Associated Press (AP) quoted him as saying.

The ambassador stressed that Algeria wants to develop energy cooperation with Rome based on the initiatives of the previous Italian prime minister Mario Draghi to boost Algerian energy supplies to Italy.

He added that Algeria's state-owned oil and gas company Sonatrach and Italy's Eni are exploring the prospects of oil and gas production in the southern Sahara Desert.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni begins a two-day visit to Algeria on January 25.

AP notes that Algeria has previously become Italy's main energy supplier, replacing Russia.