“It is a great pleasure to be here with you today, together with my Algerian colleague, to declare the opening of the Greek-Algerian Business Forum, the holding of which points up our shared political will to expand and deepen the economic and trade relations of our two countries, so that they can match the high level of our political relations.
As you know, I am here with a delegation of executives from Greek businesses that represent the most dynamic sectors of the Greek economy, with significant cumulative experience of participating in international projects.
Today, on a bilateral level, there are excellent prospects for our economic cooperation. The volume of our trade is at some €700 million, and the balance of trade is about equal. This fact is an exceptional springboard for further expansion of our volume of trade.
Algeria covers a large portion of our energy needs, supplying the Greek market with 15% of our natural gas imports. For 14 years now, DEPA, Greece’s national natural gas company, has been an important client of Sonatrach. Over the course of this time, our Algerian partners have proven to be steady and reliable suppliers.
I must be clear: For Greece and Greek enterprises, Algeria is not just a nearby market. Algeria has the potential to become an important and strategic economic partner for my country. For Greece, Algeria is a special-priority partner, given the dynamism of its economy, its ongoing growth, and its characteristically ambitious goals. I am referring especially to the new five-year plan for economic growth from 2015 to 2019, which I will also have the opportunity to discuss in depth, today and tomorrow, with my collocutors in the Algerian government. Within this framework, a number of important opportunities are being created for the participation of Greek enterprises in public projects and construction projects.
Greek construction and engineering firms have considerable know-how and wide international experience. For over 40 years, they have been active in many third countries and have successfully carried through major projects: long-distance pipelines, industrial facilities, electrical power stations, irrigation networks, ports and petroleum terminals, desalination and waste processing plants, shopping centers and highways, bridges and dams.
I want to highlight that, within the framework of the 2004 Olympic Games, Greek construction firms carried out major and complex technical infrastructure projects, including the Athens Metro; the new airport, which handles 17 million passengers a year; sports facilities; and many other high-level infrastructure projects.
In recent years, Greek construction firms have turned with greater resolve towards markets abroad, and today they are carrying out major projects, including the new terminal at Amman airport, in Jordan; the new petroleum terminal at FAO; power plants in countries of the Gulf and North Africa; construction of ports, hospitals, universities, sports facilities and tourist resorts; as well as mass housing construction projects.
Another sector of special interest is that of construction materials, one of the most important sectors of Greek industry, with top products, such as aluminum and marble products, to name just two. Greek enterprises have the potential to contribute significantly to supplying the required construction materials for achieving the goals of the Algerian government’s five-year plan.
There are also very broad prospects for cooperation in many other sectors:
• Food, which is an important sector of Greek industry, offers opportunities for cooperation in the production of quality food products.
• Greece is on the front line of the global tourism industry. Greek professionals can contribute to tourism development in areas of Algeria.
• Greek shipping, with our merchant fleet, can play a more active role in Algeria’s foreign trade.
• The pharmaceutical industry, one of the most dynamic sectors of Greek industry, is in a position to manufacture high-quality generic pharmaceuticals on a local level, in cooperation ventures.
• In the agricultural sector, where the two countries specialize in primary cultivation of similar products, I see a mutual interest in cooperation on crop protection products, agricultural research, and product storage and packaging.
• In the sector of fisheries and aquaculture there is also a great deal of room for cooperation. Greece can collaborate with Algeria on best practices for development of fisheries resources and the creation of modern fishing ports. In the aquaculture sector, in particular, Greece is among the global frontrunners.
The economic partnership that we aspire to develop falls within a broader framework of cooperation, shared outlooks and common values. Algeria and Greece share the same goals and the same challenges in today’s world, which is facing asymmetrical threats. Our mission is to defend the universal values that we share. Our cooperation must be part of a broader Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, with the objective of creating a space of peace, stability and prosperity on both sides of our common sea. In this context, combating those who strike at our values and teach hatred is a common goal.
I would like to congratulate Algeria on the 60th anniversary of the initiation of the great struggle for your independence, which was celebrated just a few days ago. The great epic of your struggle for independence is admired and respected by the Greek people, who also made great sacrifices to gain their freedom and independence.”
November 6, 2014