Lebanon & Cyprus signed a long-delayed sea border agreement on Wednesday, 26 November 2025. This ends an almost 20-year impasse that had previously stalled. This deal opens doors to some oil & gas exploration in the Mediterranean Sea, as Europe seeks alternatives to Russian crude oil.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun & Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides signed the agreement at the Baabda presidential palace, outside the Lebanese capital, Beirut. This finalised an initial deal first linked 18 years ago, in 2007.
Christodoulides called the deal a ‘historic agreement’ in a joint press conference with Aoun, who in turn shared that this agreement sends a clear invitation to anyone who wishes to cooperate with Lebanon.
While Cyprus ratified the 2007 agreement, Lebanon had previously stalled due to its maritime border dispute with Israel as well as its domestic political crisis. 7 years back, in 2012, Nicosia offered to mediate to end the impasse, although a breakthrough materialised only 5 years later, in 2022, leading to a landmark agreement between Beirut & Tel Aviv, following U.S. mediation.
Lebanon hopes that offshore exploration could help it generate resources after years of crippling economic crisis. It is yet to reach a maritime border agreement with neighbouring Syria, which moves through its own political upheaval after a lightning rebel offensive, ousting long-term President Bashar al-Assad.
Cyprus intends to exploit this deal as European countries aim to reduce reliance on importing gas from Russia, consequent to its invasion of Ukraine. Christodoulides last week shared that some of the estimated 20 trillion cubic feet of gas discovered off Cyprus could access European markets within the next couple of years, as early as 2027.
The delay in finalising the agreement has prevented Cyprus from widening its hydrocarbon search, as it cannot explore areas adjacent to Lebanese waters.
