“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is practicing, and I hope will continue to practice, a strategically targeted economic diplomacy,” the foreign minister said Nikos Dendias in the greeting he addressed at the event for the presentation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ National Strategic Outreach Plan for 2023. “A diplomacy that will contribute decisively to the formation and promotion of a new, modern and dynamic Greece”, he added.

Mr. Dendias began his speech by mentioning to the tragic events in Sudan and to the anguish of the Greeks there.

“The resurgence of the civil war centered in Khartoum has created the need to try in any way we can as the highest priority to ensure the safety and liberation of our fellow citizens”write down.

“We are implementing an extremely difficult plan due to the unprecedented conditions prevailing on the field”pointed out and mentioned that with the help of our partners and allies, a significant number of Greeks have already moved away from Khartoum, while the first group of them has already landed in Greece.

“We will continue, of course, in whatever way we can, to ensure their health, life and return to their homeland”, write down.

Mr. Dendias made a special mention in the government’s reform workwith the axis of the reform actions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the modernization of its structures, the upgrading of diplomatic services, but also the integration of economic diplomacy in the Ministry.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that the effort to promote the country to traditional and new friends, partners, allies continued uninterrupted in 2022, in bilateral and tripartite forms of cooperation.

He pointed out that the effort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the context of economic diplomacy started the day after the swearing in of the government, with the subordination of the subject to the Ministry. It continued with the adoption of the new Organization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in February 2021 “and, since then, it continues consistently and continuously”.

“It serves a broader goal, the Greek economy, and a more medium-term, but easily perceived goal, the improvement of our balance between imports and exports”stated and added: “This is a necessary goal of national survival. Such characterizations are not usually attributed to economic figures, but this here constitutes an objective reality.”

Mr. Dendias pointed out that the National Strategic Plan for Extroversion, which was presented today, “it is evidence of strategic targeting, which is served consistently, and this is demonstrated by the fact that it is being produced for the third year in a row.”

“A very important tradition is being created,” he said characteristically. “This plan has begun to establish itself in the consciousness of all involved public bodies, but, you will allow me to say even more importantly, the private sector.”

As he pointed out, it is therefore about a clear roadmap aimed at:

– promoting the economic and commercial interests of our country,

– the promotion of our products,

– strengthening our exports, and

– the attraction of direct foreign investments, absolutely necessary, if one takes into account the disinvestment that the country suffered during the years of the great crisis.

He mentioned that the 2022 plan included 670 actions in over 45 countries, while with the maturity this year, the actions reached , and emphasized that the National Strategic Plan for Extraversion is an integral part and third pillar of the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We are proud because the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the first ministry to implement a similar plan, considering that strategic planning is a necessary tool for the 21st century. With 5 strategic axes, 39 strategic objectives and thousands of actions, politics, economics and public diplomacy interact”concluded.