Today in Athens, we welcome the echelon of the US government, led by Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken, who will announce the opening of the 4th Greece-US Strategic Dialogue. The high level at which this process continues to be organized underscores the importance that the United States attaches to these negotiations, to all issues on the agenda.

Undoubtedly, the further deepening of strategic relations between Greece and the United States achieved in recent years, based on the common values ​​and interests of the two countries, is another success of the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. And this is obviously reinforced by the increased presence of Greece as a regional power in Southeast Europe and the Middle East, but above all as a guarantor of security and stability.

In this context, the strategic dialogue between Greece and the United States, conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, includes important areas: a) defense and security, b) public order and counter-terrorism, c) culture and education, d) regional cooperation, e) trade and investment , f) energy and environment, g) response to humanitarian crises and natural disasters.

But I would like to focus on the economic diplomacy portfolio. The United States is the most important transatlantic economic partner of our country. According to the latest data, Greek exports to the US increased by 175.5% (or €849 million) between 2018 and 2022. In particular, in 2022, Greek exports amounted to 2.22 billion euros, an increase of 38%. In terms of investment, U.S. direct investment grew by 32.8% in 2021 to reach €1.2bn, placing the U.S. in 6th place among foreign investors in Greece.

Of particular interest this year is the discussion of the implementation during 2023 of a new agreement on scientific and technical cooperation.

With an eye to further improving the relationship, in our discussions at the 4th Strategic Dialogue, we will refocus our economic cooperation by setting specific goals and outcomes in the following areas: trade, supply chains, investment, technology, innovation, and energy. . Of particular interest this year is the discussion of the implementation during 2023 of a new scientific and technical cooperation agreement, which is expected to lead to synergies between Greek and American research institutions and enterprises. This is a goal that we have systematically promoted and set the agenda for my visit to San Francisco and Silicon Valley last November.

Equally important is the energy and environment sector, where our common goal, Greece and the United States, is to enhance energy diversification and security. In this context, promoting fair and equitable access to green energy sources and combating climate change through carbon reduction policies are constantly at the center of discussions.

The presence in Athens of the US Foreign Secretary, combined with the holding of the Greek-American Strategic Dialogue, is a convincing signal of the increasing role of our country in the international arena. It is a political choice that is about confronting today’s geopolitical, economic and humanitarian challenges through strong alliances.

*Mr. Kostas Fragoyannis is Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy and Public Relations.