After Qatar, government turns to Kuwait seeking ‘strategic partner’ for Enemalta

In its search for a foreign partner to help meet its growing demands for energy, the Maltese government has formally "invited" Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its overseas subsidiaries to invest in the energy sector on the island.

The invitation was made by foreign minister Tonio Borg during his visit last week to the oil-rich Gulf State, where he was received by the Emir of Kuwait, Emir Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

While signing an economic cooperation agreement between the two countries, Borg met with KPC chairman Farouk Al-Zanki and discussed bilateral cooperation.

Malta's opening to Kuwait for investment in the energy sector follows Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and finance minister Tonio Fenech's discussions with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani last April on the possibility of Qatargas investing up to €1 billion as Enemalta's future strategic partner.

Technical teams from Qatargas and Qatar Petroleum (QP) were recently in Malta to inspect facilities at Delimara, which is gearing up to operate a brand new plant, which will be converted to run on natural gas in 2014.

Talks held at Castille in April between Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and the Emir of Qatar had reportedly "paved the way" towards the agreement, but technical discussions are said to still be ongoing between the two sides.