Egypt and Greece: from historical friendship to strategic partnership

18:14 24/2/2023 - Πηγή: Τα Νεα

Egypt and Greece share over two millennia of friendship, cooperation, and incomparable contributions to humanity. The very seeds of modern civilization were sown in those two great nations, and the entire world has reaped the fruits across centuries. Our people lived together and learned from each other, developing a strong cultural affinity and a sense of fraternity. Ever since formal diplomatic relations

were established in 1833 and Egypt reciprocated by establishing its Embassy after its independence almost a century ago, their interaction expanded further and reached new limits on the official and people-to-people levels. To this day, the words of Cavafy and many others still echo in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, which hosts the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa. Our shared history has taught us that the closer we are, the safer and more prosperous we become, to the benefit of our two peoples and the world at large.

Today, Egypt and Greece have developed a vibrant strategic partnership that builds upon that cultural and historical connection, as well as vital shared interests in security and development. The two countries share a common purpose of ensuring peace and stability in the region. They also share a strong belief in the need to tap the great potential of their peoples to deliver their aspirations for growth and prosperity. It is the only way to secure our present and shape a better future for our children. Egypt and Greece set an example for the world when they worked together to reach a landmark agreement on the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone between the two countries in August 2020, kicking off a new chapter in bilateral relations, one that prioritizes mutual benefit and a vision of collective gain.

Under this strategic partnership, Egypt and Greece enjoy strong coordination on the political level. The leaderships of the two countries meet and coordinate regularly on our common goals, and follow-up consultations continue on the Ministerial and Embassy levels, as well as through the regular strategic consultations mechanism of the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The Trilateral Summit, which also includes Cyprus, acts a powerful mechanism to advance cooperation and enhance collective security. The Summit is held on a yearly basis, and Egypt is pleased to host the next meeting.

A central element of our shared vision for security is military cooperation, and the militaries of the two countries are coordinating more closely today than at any other time. They hold joint exercises several times a year, including the Medusa joint exercises to which partners are often invited. We have also reached a number of military to military agreements, the most recent of which was the search and rescue agreement.

In parallel, the strategic partnership between the two countries has opened up opportunities to expand economic cooperation in new fields. We have signed dozens of agreements covering cooperation in different economic fields, including investment and tourism. A particularly notable example is the recent agreement on seasonal workers in the agricultural field, through which around 5,000 Egyptian workers will help fill the gap in this sector in Greece. Another noteworthy example is the telecommunication interconnector that is currently being established between Egypt and Greece.

Crucially, our two countries are working together on energy, at a volatile time for the market when securing supply is key. Egypt and Greece are taking the first steps to link their electricity grids, to allow Greece to benefit from the abundance of energy in Egypt, and to establish a wider partnership in the energy sector that will help address energy security concerns in Greece and throughout the European continent at this troubling time.  We are also working on linking and twinning our ports and expanding the number of flights between the two countries to support the flow of people and merchandise, as trade relations continue to expand and hundreds of thousands of Egyptians continue to visit Greece on a regular basis.

From the Egyptian perspective, our friendship with Greece will only help to strengthen Egypt’s national pursuit of sustainable development. Egypt continues to strive towards the goals set out in our ambitious “Egypt Vision 2030”, embarking on a number of trailblazing megaprojects, elevating the country’s infrastructure to meet the needs of a modern economy, expanding the incentives for investors including through the recently issued Golden License program and establishing a new administrative capital to achieve transformative change in the efficiency and effectiveness of government institutions.

Here in Greece, the Embassy of Egypt in Athens is focused on the backbone of the Egyptian-Greek partnership: people. The sense of connection and historical trust between Egyptians and Greeks continues to be the foundation upon which our cooperation stands, and the Embassy is keen to preserve and promote this connection, including by investing in cultural, touristic and commercial relations, a revival of interest in the Greek and Arab languages, and regular visits and cooperation between Egyptian and Greek organizations and companies. We are looking to celebrate a year of Egyptian culture in Greece, and we are considering participating as the main host in the Thessaloniki International Fair and as a main participant in the Delphi Forum.

The prospects are limitless, and the doors of the Embassy are always open to every Greek who considers Egypt a friend, whether you are a professional, visitor, investor, trader or simply someone who wants to know more. Together, we can carry the Greek-Egyptian strategic partnership forward, and continue to write history.

Omar Amer Youssef, is ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Athens