His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Mari, Minister of Economy and head of Investopia, held discussions with several ministers from Cyprus and Greece aimed at strengthening economic and investment ties for the future. The talks focused on enhancing collaboration in new economic sectors, innovation, digital infrastructure, food security, renewable energy, smart tourism technologies, and sustainable environmental practices.
This meeting took place during the inaugural Investopia – Mediterranean conference in Cyprus, which witnessed significant participation from government ministers, representatives of private companies, business leaders, investors, and decision-makers from the UAE, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, and Europe. Among those present were Mohammed Al-Hawiy, Deputy Minister of Investment, Mohammed Saif Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Cyprus, and Sheikha Nasser Al-Nooies, the elected Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization for the term 2026-2029.
During these meetings, His Excellency highlighted the UAE’s efforts, driven by the wise leadership’s guidance, to diversify its economy and increase the contribution of non-oil sectors to the national GDP. He underscored the shift towards an innovative, knowledge-based economic model, and discussed national targets outlined in the “We are the UAE 2031” vision, emphasizing the UAE’s goal to establish itself as a global hub for business, investment, and the new economy by the next decade.
His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq conducted a meeting with His Excellency Georgios Papanastasiou, the Cypriot Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry, to explore opportunities for enhancing the strong economic partnership between the UAE and Cyprus and creating new pathways for business communities in both countries to forge meaningful partnerships supporting sustainable growth.
In a related meeting, His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq spoke with His Excellency Dr. Konstantinos Kombos, the Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs, to examine ways to strengthen their mutual economic relations in areas of common interest. He reiterated the UAE’s commitment to enhance economic cooperation with the Cypriot government, particularly in future-oriented sectors such as energy, renewable resources, and industry. Both sides emphasized the importance of sustainable economic projects and the exchange of expertise in these initiatives.
Additionally, His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq met with H.E. Olga Kefaloyianni, the Greek Minister of Tourism, to discuss boosting bilateral cooperation in diverse tourism sectors, sharing best practices in smart tourism infrastructure and responsible environmental practices, and collaborating to develop more joint programs. He emphasized that this meeting marks a crucial step towards enhancing tourism collaboration between their countries in light of their evolving economic partnership.
The cooperation in tourism between the UAE and Greece continues to grow, with the number of Greek tourists visiting the UAE reaching 20,452 in 2024, marking an increase of nearly 25% compared to 16,366 in 2023. The frequency of flights between the two nations has also risen to 33 weekly routes operated by airlines from both countries.