French envoy says Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Greece and Cyprus eye IMEC expansion amid Hormuz crisis
Gérard Mestrallet, France’s special envoy for the India‑Middle East‑Europe Economic Corridor, said Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Greece and Cyprus want to join the project as a ministerial summit later this year could decide on expansion.
What happened
Gérard Mestrallet, the French President’s Special Envoy for the India‑Middle East‑Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), told reporters on Tuesday that Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Greece and Cyprus have signalled interest in joining the initiative. He made the comments at the IMEC Ports Club Working Day in New Delhi, where he was accompanied by Christophe Castaner, chairman of the supervisory board of the Port of Marseille‑Fos.
Who is involved
The corridor was launched in September 2023 by eight governments – India, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union – and is designed to link India with Europe via a mix of shipping lanes, rail links and digital‑energy infrastructure. Mestrallet said the eight signatories are heads of state and that any decision to enlarge the project would have to be taken by them.
He also clarified that Jordan and Israel were mentioned in the original agreement but did not become signatories because they were not present at the signing ceremony.
What’s next
Mestrallet indicated that a ministerial‑level IMEC meeting is expected to take place before the end of 2026. That gathering would give the eight existing governments a chance to decide whether to extend the corridor’s perimeter and admit new full or associated members. The French envoy added that the corridor is being promoted as a “network of complementary routes” that can reroute traffic if a single pathway is disrupted – a scenario he linked to recent tensions in the Gulf, including the Hormuz crisis, the Gaza conflict and heightened Iranian activity.
Key numbers
- Eight signatory governments – the original members of IMEC (Mestrallet’s statement).
- September 2023 – month and year the corridor was announced (project launch information).
- 5‑7 October 2026 – dates of Mestrallet’s visit to India to advance the project (press conference details).
- Later in 2026 – timeframe for the anticipated ministerial meeting (Mestrallet’s projection).
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Number of original signatory governments | 8 | statement by Gérard Mestrallet |
| IMEC launch month and year | September 2023 | project launch information |
| Dates of French envoy’s India visit | 5‑7 October 2026 | press conference schedule |
| Expected timeframe for ministerial meeting | later in 2026 | statement by Gérard Mestrallet |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| India | Host of the press conference |
| Gérard Mestrallet | French President’s Special Envoy for IMEC |
