“Today is a special moment for our relationship with Saudi Arabia” said the Deputy Minister, adding that “through systematic and intensive work, we – the staff of Economic Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the Ministry of Development and Investment and in close cooperation with our Saudi partners – have created a framework, within which, you, the businessmen on both sides can develop your activities and joint ventures for the benefit of our two countries. The signing of sixteen (16) business agreements today is undeniably a success and it is surely proof that we are on the right track”.
The close partnership between Greece and Saudi Arabia received a substantial boost with the extremely important government and business agreements signed in Athens on July 26th-27th, as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Openness Kostas Fragogiannis stressed during a high-level business meeting held on Wednesday, July 27th. The meeting took place during Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s first official visit to Greece.
During the meeting, which followed the two business forums held in 2022 (Riyadh: March 13th-14th and Athens: May 30th-31st), a ceremony was held for the signing/exchange of sixteen (16) business agreements and MoUs between Greek and Saudi private groups in the fields of energy, maritime and air transport, aquaculture, waste management, culture, food and agricultural products, construction, and defense technology.
Apart from the Deputy Minister Mr. Fragogiannis and the Secretary General of International Economic Affairs and Openness and President of Enterprise Greece Mr. Smyrlis, who had the initiative and responsibility of organizing the event, the meeting was attended by Minister of Development and Investment Mr. Adonis Georgiades; and, from the Saudi side, by Minister of Investment Mr. Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Trade Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, and Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, Minister of Communications, and Information Technology. Senior executives from thirty-six (36) Saudi enterprises and more than eighty (80) Greek enterprises also attended the meeting, as did the co-chairs of the Greece-Saudi Arabia Business Council, Lubna Al-Olayan and Achilleas Konstantakopoulos.
In particular, on the Greek side, agreements were signed by the companies/groups: Aegean, Mytilineos S.A., Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd, Sea Traders S.A., Hellenic Environmental Center S.A., Theon Sensors S.A, RAYCAP, Greek Energy & Infrastructure Investment Corporation (GrEC Fund), Holroyd Holdings Ltd, Southpoint Maritime S.A. , Chr. Stamatiou & Sons S.A. , Highway Special Construction Systems S.A. and Corinth Pipeworks Pipe Industry S.A.
Secretary General for International Economic Affairs and Openness and President of Enterprise Greece Ioannis Smyrlis underlined the impressive progress that has been achieved between the two countries and pointed out that there are many areas where Greek and Saudi businesses can further cooperate, ranging from energy to food security and from maritime transport to technology. He added that “over one hundred (100) Greek and around forty (40) Saudi enterprises met today in Athens, to continue the contacts of the business communities; today, this relationship was sealed with the signing of the first 16 private agreements”.
