Article by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy, Kostas Fragogiannis in ‘KATHIMERINI” newspaper (21.02.2023)

“The Greece-US Strategic Dialogue”

We welcome today in Athens a US government delegation, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to launch the 4th Greece-US Strategic Dialogue. The fact that this process continues to be conducted at such high level highlights the importance the US attaches to these negotiations, across all issues on the agenda.

Unquestionably, the further strengthening of the strategic relations between Greece and the United States during recent years, based on the shared values and interests of the two countries, is another success of the Kyriakos Mitsotakis administration. And it is obviously enhanced by Greece’s upgraded presence as a regional power in Southeast Europe and the Middle East, but most importantly as a guarantor of security and stability.

In this regard, the Greece-US Strategic Dialogue, which is conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, includes important areas: a) defense and security, b) law enforcement and counterterrorism, c) people to people ties, d) regional cooperation, e) trade and investment, f) energy and environment, g) humanitarian challenges and disaster preparedness.

Focusing on the Economic Diplomacy portfolio, it should be noted that the US is our country’s most important transatlantic economic partner. According to the most recent data, Greek exports to the US surged by 175.5% (or €849 million) between 2018 and 2022. Specifically for 2022, Greek exports amounted to €2.22 billion, a 38% increase. In terms of investment, direct investment from the US climbed by 32.8% in 2021, reaching 1.2 billion euros and ranking the US in 6th place among foreign investors in Greece.

With a view to further enhancing our relations, we will refocus our discussions during the 4th Strategic Dialogue on our economic cooperation, establishing specific objectives and deliverables in the areas of trade, supply chains, investment, technology, innovation, and energy. This year’s discussion on the implementation within 2023 of the new Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, which is expected to lead to synergies between Greek and American research institutions and enterprises, is of special importance. This is an objective we have consistently promoted which also shaped the agenda of my visit to San Francisco and Silicon Valley last November.

Equally significant is the energy and environment sector, where Greece and the US share the goal of enhancing energy diversification and security. In this regard, promoting fair and equitable access to green energy sources as well as addressing climate change through decarbonization policies are constantly at the center of discussions.

The presence of the US Secretary of State in Athens, along with the conduct of the Greece- US Strategic Dialogue, sends a strong message about our country’s enhanced role on the international stage. It also represents a political choice in terms of addressing current geopolitical, economic, and humanitarian challenges through strong alliances.