The Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis met this morning in Washington with the Minister of Finance of the Turkish Republic Mehmet Şimşek, on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The two Ministers exchanged views on macroeconomic developments and the growth prospects of the Greek and Turkish economies, in the light of international restructuring and the challenges facing the global economy.

Particular emphasis was placed on areas of common economic interest, in which Greece and Turkey can strengthen their cooperation within the framework of the positive agenda. These include:

• promoting stronger connectivity between the two economies;
• the strengthening of the trade balance, the expansion of export possibilities and the facilitation of exports,
• the strengthening of investments and the promotion of joint projects in the fields of innovation, green and digital development,
• the cooperation between business associations and chambers.
The two sides underlined the importance of increasing bilateral trade, which currently stands at around 5 billion euros per year. They also stressed the need to strengthen investment flows and improve the business environment, for the benefit of regional stability and common prosperity.

Mr. Pierrakakis and Mr. Şimşek agreed to maintain open channels of communication and promote initiatives that enhance cooperation, stability and sustainable development in the wider region.