Defining our maritime borders in the Mediterranean

President Abdel El Sisi issued a decree demarcating Egypt’s western maritime border in the Mediterranean. “Egypt’s territorial borders begin from the Egyptian-Libyan border point No 1 to 12 nautical miles to point No 8. The western maritime border line runs from point No 8 to the north,” according to the decree published in the Official Gazette read.

Maritime boundaries in the EastMed are being contested: Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based government controversially announced a new joint exclusive economic zone in the Mediterranean in 2020, a move that was condemned by Egypt and Greece, who set up their own joint economic zone that ignored Ankara’s claims. Turkey and Libya signed an agreement in October that could pave the way for the two countries to explore for oil and gas in the area.