IMEC expansion: Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Greece, and Cyprus eye membership

Several nations have expressed interest in joining or expanding their involvement in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). According to Gérard Mestrallet, the French President’s Special Envoy for IMEC, Egypt, Lebanon, and Oman have shown interest in the Middle Eastern region, while Greece and Cyprus are particularly keen to become full members in Europe.

A ministerial-level meeting is expected to take place later this year to discuss the potential expansion of the corridor’s membership and geographical scope. Mestrallet noted that any decision to enlarge the initiative must be approved by the eight existing signatory governments, which include India, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union.

Launched in September 2023, IMEC is a multimodal connectivity project designed to link India with Europe via the Arabian Peninsula through shipping, rail, and digital infrastructure. While Jordan and Israel were mentioned in the initial framework, they were not among the original signatories present at the time of the agreement.