A
s the Alternate Minister for International
Economic Relations, I would like to high-
light the importance of our human
resources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
Political Diplomats, the Administrative Staff, and
of course the Economic and Commercial
Diplomats, who are our “eyes and ears” overseas.
Thanks to them, their knowledge and their expertise,
we are able to detect and enhance the possibilities
for economic and commercial cooperation with
other countries.
Their contribution to the promotion of our exports,
to attracting foreign investments and to seeking
out knowhow is of the outmost importance.
The Offices for Economic and Commercial
Affairs, together with our Embassies and
Consular Authorities:
● monitor and analyze economic developments in
the countries of their competence;
● explore the market for business opportunities;
● provide assistance to attracting foreign invest-
ments;
● protect Greek investments abroad;
● make the necessary arrangements for the con-
clusion of Economic Cooperation Agreements;
and
● set up the stage for business delegations, and
prepare B2B meetings.
Particularly in the exports sector, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs has an important task: to coordi-
nate all export-oriented units of the Greek econo-
my. These units range from the productive
Ministries and their Departments, the private or
public enterprises that seek export activity, the
Chambers of Commerce, the export and trade
bodies, even the smallest cooperative, which up
to now had difficulties competing in this demand-
ing environment.
I would like to elaborate on this part, as our main
goal is to revive the Greek economy, firstly by
supporting small and medium-sized enterprises,
which make up the backbone of our national pro-
duction, and secondly, by bringing to surface new
business and production structures, which will
Trade with Greece
22
The development of international economic
relations has a significant value for the new
Greek Government, as the efforts to
reconstruct the economy and the production
capability of our country are entangled with our
international relations with our EU partners, as
well as with all of our global partners.
Our main goal is to
revive the Greek
economy
By Euclid Tsakalotos,
Alternate Foreign Minister for International Economic
Relations
