Athens Riviera Summit 2025: Greece as a Bridge Between Europe and the Middle East

The 2nd Athens Riviera Summit, held from October 1-3, 2025 at Asteria Glyfadas, highlighted Greece’s ambition to go a political and economical span betwixt Europe and the Middle East, successful enactment with the country’s National Outward-Looking Strategy.

Speaking astatine the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Haris Theocharis emphasized Greece’s strategical position: “Greece is astatine the borderline of Europe, but erstwhile you see the Middle East, we are astatine its precise center. Our extremity is to go a bridge, politically and economically, to heighten practice and beforehand shared prosperity.” Representatives from India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were successful attendance.

During discussions with H.E. Mohammad Alhawi, UAE Deputy Minister of Investment, some sides highlighted emerging sectors for collaboration, including artificial intelligence, aligning with the UAE’s technological strategy. Theocharis noted that Greece is seen arsenic a gateway to Europe, a sentiment echoed by Alhawi.

National Outward-Looking Strategy Dimitris Skalkos, Secretary-General for International Economic Relations and Outward-Looking Strategy, outlined the strategy, approved past month, featuring:

1. A five-year strategical program (2026-2030) with defined priorities.
2. Transformation of Enterprise Greece into an integrated work supplier and dynamic capitalist for each stages of investment.
3. Reform of Export Credit Greece, creating 2 subsidiaries for short-term recognition security and factoring of concern receivables.

Financing and Recovery Fund Aikaterini Oikonomou, Secretary-General of the Public Investment Program, expressed assurance that Greece volition afloat leverage resources from the Recovery Fund for entrepreneurship and infrastructure. Meanwhile, Konstantinos Angelopoulos, Deputy CEO of the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund, emphasized supporting bankable projects, ensuring measurable and technically dependable concern plans.

Security astatine the Forefront

Security emerged arsenic the cardinal situation crossed the Balkan infrastructure system. Ministers from Greece, Bulgaria, and Cyprus highlighted resilience, connectivity, and determination practice successful proscription and defense. Transport Minister Christos Dimas and counterparts committed to coordinated enactment crossed the Balkans, with Karadjov of Bulgaria urging vision, coordination, and decisiveness, and Cyprus’ Alex Vafeiadis emphasizing connectivity arsenic a pathway to trade, taste export, and improved prime of life.

Strategic Investments and AI

Antigoni Lymberopoulou, CEO of the Hellenic Development Investment Bank, acknowledged the request to absorption on large-scale concern projects, with the Athens Riviera serving arsenic a flagship example, slated for upgrades worth €200 cardinal per kilometer by 2030. Discussions besides explored the role of AI in enhancing competitiveness and concern transformation, with contributions from Simon Blagden CBE, Dimitris Primpas (IBM Greece & Cyprus), and Afroditi Sevasti (HFSF CTO).

A Center for Dialogue

The summit, supported by Naftemporiki, brought unneurotic apical planetary and Greek officials, investors, and executives, establishing the Athens Riviera as a hub for international economical diplomacy. The three-day lawsuit reinforced Greece’s ambition to strengthen regional cooperation, strategical investment, and innovation-driven growth.