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Greek Prime Minister: We Have a Strategic Relationship with Gulf States

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the prime minister of Greece in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the prime minister of Greece in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Greek Prime Minister: We Have a Strategic Relationship with Gulf States

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the prime minister of Greece in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the prime minister of Greece in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed that his country’s relations with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf were strategic, pointing to common geopolitical challenges.

He emphasized that his government’s foreign policy priority was to establish solid ties with the Gulf, saying: “We have now entered into a strong strategic relationship, as we share many common economic and social factors.”

Mitsotakis’ remarks came during a dialogue session on Tuesday at the Future Investment Initiative forum, in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Crown Prince of Bahrain Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The premier touched on the agreements signed by his country with France and the United States, as well as efforts to provide oil and gas to Europe through Greece.

Moreover, he also stressed that Cyprus’ alliance with Egypt and Israel does not pose a threat to Turkey, saying: “We have security and there are no threats in the eastern Mediterranean. We have alliances and we are joining alliances clearly, and I hope at some point Turkey will have a positive engagement with us.”

“All outstanding problems with Egypt and Italy have been resolved in accordance with international law… We are open to dialogue and will not compromise our interests,” he added.

Abdullah Al-Sawaha, Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, said the Kingdom has made great strides towards digital and knowledge economy, especially during its presidency of the G20.

“We are turning to digital transformation in order to protect the planet and empower people. We are working with global innovators and taking advantage of satellite images and artificial intelligence to reduce carbon emissions and preserve the environment,” the minister said during Tuesday’s session.

Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM, said that the giant project, launched by the Saudi Crown Prince in 2016, was rolling at a fast pace.

“There was a vision for NEOM, and the mission was clear to turn the dream into a reality. We took over the task and then continued the journey to introduce NEOM in different ways. NEOM is basically found to be an independent economy that will rely on 16 sectors, and will have its own laws and legislation,” he said.

Al-Nasr added that nine years were left to translate the NEOM project into reality. This is a task that requires great efforts, as he described it.

“One day we will surprise the world with happy news that NEOM is operating faster than we expected,” he remarked.

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IMF Policy Committee Underscores Trade Risks to Global Economy, Commits to Fund’s Role

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, right, and International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) chair Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speak during a news conference after the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP)
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, right, and International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) chair Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speak during a news conference after the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP)
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IMF Policy Committee Underscores Trade Risks to Global Economy, Commits to Fund’s Role

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, right, and International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) chair Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speak during a news conference after the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP)
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, right, and International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) chair Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speak during a news conference after the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting, during the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP)

International Monetary Fund member countries said on Friday that rising trade tensions were sapping growth and fueling uncertainty as well as market and financial stability risks, but reaffirmed their commitment to the institution as critical to helping countries navigate a difficult environment.

In a chair's statement, the IMF's steering committee also reaffirmed prior foreign exchange commitments and voiced support for a realignment of quotas, or shareholding, that better reflects countries' positions in the global economy.

"The world economy is at a pivotal juncture," the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) said in a statement as the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank drew to a close. "Following several years of rising concerns over trade, trade tensions have abruptly soared, fueling elevated uncertainty, market volatility, and risks to growth and financial stability."

The message comes at the end of a tense week for policymakers and investors anxious about US President Donald Trump's moves to upend global trade and his commitment to international institutions.

The IMF on Tuesday slashed its economic forecasts for the US, China and most countries, citing the impact of US tariffs now at 100-year highs and warning that rising trade strife would further slow growth. It forecast global growth of 2.8% for 2025, down half a percentage point from its January forecast.

Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, who chairs the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), said the Fund must continue to focus on its core mandates, including expanding trade and growth.

"Addressing global debt vulnerabilities remains a priority for our members, especially for low-income and vulnerable countries," Al-Jadaan told a news conference in Washington.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva acknowledged that the raft of current geopolitical flare-ups, especially Trump's push to redesign world trade with a barrage of tariffs, had distracted from discussions about other pressing challenges, including artificial intelligence, in public and behind closed doors.

She said it was encouraging that members had been able to engage in open conversations and share their views "in a fair space," but said she didn't want to minimize the discord.

"I don't want to sugarcoat - we still have quite a challenging time," she said at the news briefing.

Gathering members to talk about Syria had also given a new sense of urgency and purpose to turning a place of conflict into a stable and economically successful country benefiting the region and the world, Al-Jadaan said.

"It is not just about the money, it's about the work that I and other partners can deliver and capacity development, quality data and timely advice."

Al-Jadaan said trade had been the overriding concern during the meetings but he remained optimistic that solutions could be found after a week of candid and frank discussions.

"Actually today, we are holding in a lot better position than when we started the week. People understand the consequences and are working together in a constructive way to resolve tensions," he said.