Greece can become the voice of the United Arab Emirates in the EU, emphasizes the Minister of Foreign Affairs George Gerapetritis, in an interview with the UAE news agency “WAM”.

“Greece maintains a strategic partnership with certain countries worldwide, and the UAE is one of them. Therefore, we wish to make the most of it and we can be your voice in the EU,” says the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“Greece can be an entry point for the UAE in Europe. In this context, we believe that the signing of a comprehensive Financial Corporate Agreement
A relationship can signal a new beginning” points out Mr. Gerapetritis.

“My trip here was planned before the recent very disturbing developments and the new cycle of violence in Israel and Gaza, which must stop as soon as possible” notes Giorgos Gerapetritis.

The interview in detail

JOURNALIST: You were a distinguished lawyer and law professor for many years. Can you please tell us how your career has helped you in your capacity as a politician and Minister?

G. GERAPETRITIS: When someone comes from the field of legal science and academic rationality, he can understand the importance of deliberative procedures and rules and principles. This is fully consistent with the core of Greece’s foreign policy, which is a principled foreign policy based on the established principles of International Law and in particular the Charter of the United Nations.

JOURNALIST: Can you tell us about the purpose of your visit and the results you expect?

G. GERAPETRITIS: My trip here was planned before the recent very disturbing developments and the new cycle of violence in Israel and Gaza, which must stop as soon as possible. My visit takes place in the context of our bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was signed in 2020 and further boosted by the relevant Joint Declaration last year, during the official visit of the Greek Prime Minister to the UAE.

I look forward to fruitful discussions with UAE officials in order to expand our bilateral ties by promoting our cooperation in a wide range of areas, most notably security, defence, renewable energy and the fight against climate change.

There is no doubt that the UAE is a pillar of prosperity and stability in the wider region. We highly value their contribution to the Middle East and Libya and their role within the I2U2 Group and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Greece aspires to become a bridge between the Arab world and Europe. For its part, the UAE has established itself as a major player in the region.

JOURNALIST: During the visits to Greece of the UAE President in 2022 and its Minister of Foreign Affairs in April, the two sides discussed strengthening their cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investment, development, renewable energy and food security. As the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, how do you see the future course and possibilities for cooperation in these areas?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Our joint efforts to strengthen our bilateral economic ties have already produced results. According to the latest statistics, the investment flows from both sides have been increasing steadily in recent years and especially from 2022 onwards. More than 350 Greek companies are currently active in the UAE, mainly in the construction and shipping sectors. Similarly, companies based in the UAE have significant investment activities in Greece, mainly in the sectors of tourism infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare and agricultural products.

JOURNALIST: During the UAE Foreign Minister’s visit, the two sides also discussed the framework of joint cooperation in the field of aviation and the importance of continuous efforts to increase direct flights between the two countries. Would you like to tell us about the progress that has been made in this area?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Air connectivity is vital for the development of our bilateral relations. I am pleased to announce that the Greek carrier, Aegean Airlines, is launching a direct Athens-Dubai service from October 10, with 6 flights per week. These flights are added to the already existing air routes from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Athens and various Greek islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu) operated by Etihad, Emirates, Fly Dubai and WizzAir. We also hope to have direct flights from other cities in Greece and the UAE, such as Thessaloniki and Sharjah, very soon.

JOURNALIST: What is your opinion on the relations between the two peoples and the cultural relations and also the role of tourism in this context?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Culture and tourism bring people together and promote mutual understanding and tolerance. Greece was one of the most popular tourist destinations for travelers from the UAE in the summer of 2023, ranking 5th. However, there is still room for improvement. We are looking at the possibilities of strengthening our cooperation, especially in the field of culture. For example, our embassy in Abu Dhabi has explored possibilities of cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Louvre, in order to bring Greek culture closer to the people of the UAE.

JOURNALIST: Would you like to tell us about the latest developments regarding the 4 billion euro joint investment fund announced by the two countries in May 2022?

G. GERAPETRITIS: The implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ), which was signed during the last visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to the UAE in May 2022, is on track. Teams from the two countries work closely together, thoroughly examining investment opportunities from the entire spectrum of the Greek economy. Last December we had the first announcement about the investment in the Greek company Blueground, which is active in the real estate market. We hope that soon we will have other positive announcements regarding another ADQ investment in Greece. We highly appreciate ADQ’s professional approach and sincere commitment and consider it a reliable and valuable partner in the region.

JOURNALIST: Have Greece-UAE bilateral relations fully exploited their potential? Do you think their relationship should expand into new areas? If so, what are these potential new areas of cooperation?

G. GERAPETRITIS: The strategic partnership with the UAE has yielded significant results in areas such as political and military cooperation. We would like to expand the level of excellent bilateral political and military relations, while in economic and trade relations we believe there is a lot of untapped potential. Also, the areas of technological and cultural cooperation, as well as cooperation in the field of energy and the environment are of particular importance for our country. The UAE is a strategic partner and we are willing to explore all possibilities of cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally.

On the other hand, Greece can be an entry point for the UAE in Europe. In this context, we believe that the signing of a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement can mark a new beginning.

JOURNALIST: How do you see Greece-UAE cooperation in the international arena, especially in the United Nations and other multilateral forums?

G. GERAPETRITIS: All these years, the two countries have supported each other regarding their respective candidacies for positions in international organizations. We supported the UAE’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council and are particularly grateful for the UAE’s expressed support for Greece’s current Security Council candidacy.

JOURNALIST: What do you think about the importance of COP28 in the context of global climate action? How do you see the possibility of Greece-UAE cooperation at COP28?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Greece is a party to all important international environmental conventions, treaties and protocols and has made the connection of climate, peace and security a priority of its candidacy for its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period 2025-2026.

When it comes to the environment and energy, it is safe to say that Greece and the UAE share many common values ​​and goals. Just like the UAE, Greece is fully committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Renewable energy sources in Greece cover almost 50% of domestic demand in 2023, with the goal of achieving 80% coverage by 2030. Greece it also promotes energy interconnectivity and a greener future for the Eastern Mediterranean region. In addition, we warmly welcomed the UAE-EU joint announcement, in June 2023, to adopt two global commitments: tripling the use of renewable energy sources and doubling energy efficiency.

Greece will actively participate in COP-28 and organize a series of side events at its national pavilion in order to highlight its own priorities, such as the proposal to “Address the Impact of Climate Change on Cultural and Natural Heritage”, which was launched with the support of UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization, and the 9th “Our Ocean Conference”, which will take place in Athens in 2024 and will look at ways to deal with the effects of climate change, biodiversity loss, overfishing and marine pollution. And other events will further demonstrate Greece-UAE cooperation in tackling climate change and environmental degradation and promoting a green and sustainable future for the wider region.

JOURNALIST: Are there any other important aspects/issues you would like to add or highlight?

G. GERAPETRITIS: Greece maintains a strategic partnership with specific countries worldwide, and the UAE is one of them. Therefore, we want to make the most of it and can be your voice in the EU.

Greece would welcome a tripartite relationship with the UAE and India focusing on enhanced economic cooperation, infrastructure development and the implementation of joint projects in the fields of transport, logistics, energy and trade in view of the planned India-Middle Economic Corridor East-Europe.