The commitment of Greece – and of Europe as a whole – to support African countries in their efforts to ensure political stability, sustainable economic growth, and security for their populations, was conveyed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Openness, Kostas Fragogiannis, during his contacts in Niger, where he represented Greece in a “Team Europe” Ministerial Visit to the African country, held on 7 and 8 February 2023.
Speaking at a Business Forum, held on Tuesday, February 7, Mr. Fragogiannis underscored the importance of strengthening Niger’s economic ties with the EU, within the framework of the EU-West Africa Economic Cooperation Agreements, so that the country can better integrate into the international trading system and ensure sustainable economic growth. The Deputy Minister referred, in particular, to the prospects of bilateral economic cooperation between Greece and Niger, emphasizing that a large number of Greek products, such as building materials and innovative medical products, could address important needs of the local market.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, K. Fragogiannis, French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie, and International Cooperation Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, and Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Francisco André met with high-ranking Nigerian government officials and discussed education, water resource management, and meeting the country’s energy needs.
Subsequently, the “Team Europe” team visited a school in Niamey, as well as water treatment and power generation facilities, all of which were co-financed by European funds. The aim of these visits was to assess the condition and functionality of the facilities and infrastructure as well as to identify additional needs and future steps.
During his visit to Niger, Mr. Fragogiannis also had a bilateral meeting with the country’s Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou, with whom he discussed the security situation in the Sahel and Libya as well as international and regional developments. Regarding bilateral relations between Greece and Niger, the two men agreed on the need to strengthen them, particularly in the areas of trade and the development of Greek business activity in Niger.