I had the honour of taking part in the Athens Riviera Summit 2025, an important international forum that brought into focus the major challenges, but also the opportunities, emerging in the new global economic reality.
The central message I highlighted is that Greece has every credential to play a leading role as a political and economic bridge between Europe and the Middle East.
Our membership of the Eurozone and our geostrategic position in the Eastern Mediterranean give us a comparative advantage: we offer both credibility and institutional stability, as well as direct access to dynamic markets on a growth trajectory.
I referred to the importance of our strategic cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, which is already producing tangible results. The €4 billion Joint Investment Fund, the development of 500 MW of digital infrastructure (data centres) and, in the private sector, the Masdar – Terna Energy agreement are concrete examples.
During our joint participation in a special thematic session, I had the opportunity to exchange views with the UAE Deputy Minister of Investment, Mohammad Alhawi, on how we can deepen our strategic relationship even further.
Looking to the future, we jointly referred to the prospect of broadening our cooperation into new dynamic sectors, such as artificial intelligence, which is a strategic priority for both countries. Greece and the UAE share the same vision: to make use of our complementary advantages — location, capital, innovation and international networks — in order to create a framework for growth with benefits that go beyond our national borders.
Overall, my participation in the Athens Riviera Summit 2025 gave me the opportunity to show that economic diplomacy is not an abstract concept, but the tool with which we can turn the challenges of our time into opportunities. Greece is emerging as a hub of stability, growth and innovation, strengthening the extroversion of its businesses and attracting investment that creates long-term value.
My message to our partners and investors was clear: with vision, consistency and mutually beneficial partnerships, we can build a future of shared prosperity and security for our peoples and the wider region, connecting Europe, the Mediterranean and the Gulf in a single network of growth and progress.
