Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs visits Niger

Athens-Greece (PANA) - Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias arrived Wednesday in Niamey on a first ever visit by a Greek minister of state.

According to a statement by the Greek ministry of Foreign Affairs received by PANA, Dendias was received by the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, and his Nigerien counterpart, Hassoumi Massoudou.
“I am honoured to be received by the President but also I am touched because this is the first ever visit of a Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs to Niger,” the statement quoted Dendias as saying following the talks.

“For me, this is my fifth trip to Sub-Saharan Africa. This is a fact that shows the importance that my country attaches to this particularly important part of the world.
“It also acknowledges the huge dynamism of the African continent. And it acknowledges the challenges that the continent, and the Governments of the countries of the continent face. Food insecurity, climate change, irregular migration, terrorism, all these issues are present in the Sahel,” he said.

"Greece is closer to the African continent than one might think. From our southern big island, which is Crete, it is just a 20 minutes flight to the coast of Africa," Dendias said, adding that "historically also, we Greeks have seen the Mediterranean Sea as a bridge between the two continents".

"It was never in history a border, it was always a bridge. A bridge of people, a bridge for trade, a bridge for commerce, a bridge for cultural education,” he stated.
He expressed his country’s will to strengthen relations with Niger and all African countries.

"We would like you, as the up-and-coming power that you are,-Africa will be the biggest continent, population-wise, in the world in a few years, your economy is growing at a spectacular pace although starting from quite a low point," Dendias said.
-0- PANA- AT/RA  2Nov2022