The UAE ambassador in Athens, Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri, confirmed the interest of the United Arab Emirates in strengthening bilateral ties with Greece and especially in the economic sector.
Speaking with journalists, he said that the “United Arab Emirates-Greece bilateral relations are stronger than ever, based on the common vision for progress and prosperity.”
He underlined that there is still much room for development of the cooperation as the current volume of commercial transactions does not fully reflect the proximity and the dynamics of relations at the political level.
“We are actively working on initiatives to further deepen our economic relations. Our goal is to increase the volume of bilateral trade, aiming for a significant percentage growth in the coming years,” he underlined and added that new areas of cooperation are already being explored, especially in areas such as Renewable Energy Sources, technology, healthcare, the safety of water and water resources, etc. Interest, according to Mr. Al Daheri, also exists in sectors such as hospitality and tourism, where Greece holds a prominent position as one of the most popular destinations worldwide.
“Our goal is to create an ecosystem where businesses can thrive collaboratively, resulting in sustainable economic development,” said the UAE ambassador, adding that the strengthening of relations also concerns cultural exchanges between the two countries. “I am confident that both nations will continue to achieve great things together,” noted Al Dhaheri.
Prospects for strengthening investments
The UAE ambassador specifically referred to the mutual respect and ties between the two countries, the recent developments in bilateral relations but also the exciting prospects for the further development of cooperation. “The relationship between the UAE and Greece has flourished over the years, characterized by cooperation in various fields such as trade, investment, culture and tourism,” he stressed.
Referring in more detail to the economic-commercial sector, Al Dhaheri pointed out that Greek exports to the UAE rose 12% in 2023 compared to 2022, while UAE exports to Greece saw a spike of 193% in 2023 compared to 2022. The volume of trade between the two countries increased by about 60% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
“In recent months, our two nations have taken significant steps to further strengthen our cooperation. For example, the successful completion of several high-level discussions at the leadership level paved the way for enhanced cooperation in tourism, environment and energy. These discussions resulted in trade agreements that promise to ‘unlock’ new opportunities for businesses and investors in the two countries,” stressed Al Dhaheri.
He also referred to the UAE’s participation in leading business and cultural events in Greece, which aim to promote the common values of the two countries and strengthen ties between the two peoples.
Interest in participating in the Cyprus-Greece electrical interconnection project
Regarding energy, Al Dhaheri confirmed their interest in ongoing projects, as well as in the Cyprus-Greece electrical interconnection project, through the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI).
