Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis inaugurates a stepped-up international presence over the next two months with his attendance this week at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos. Another seven cities in Europe, North America and Asia may follow until March.
A trip to New York City comes in late January to attend an investment forum in the “Big Apple”, viewed by the center-right government a high-profile another opportunity to burnish its pro-business credentials and the pro-investment climate in the Greek economy to major US investors.
An address at Columbia University has been mentioned, along with a joint appearance with influential JP Morgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon.
A stop in Chicago follows, where Mitsotakis will have contacts with the sizable ethnic Greek community in the Midwest metropolis, and where he’s expected to promote an upcoming legislative initiative by the government to finally give Greek citizens outside the country the right to vote via postal ballots.
According to information out of the Maximos Mansion government seat over the recent period, Mitsotakis’ agenda will revolve around national issues, the economy and this June’s European Parliament elections, with international contacts and appearances aligned along these lines.
A good portion of the Cabinet will also actively work on this same agenda.
An extraordinary EU summit in Brussels follows on Feb. 1, where the Greek side is expected to press for more funds to deal with the irregular migrant crisis and climate change. Mitsotakis may possibly attend the Munich security conference afterwards, which is expected to be dominated by the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Other sources point to a Feb. 21 official and prominent visit to New Delhi and a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a visit would coincide with a major international forum in the country. A large Greek business delegation is expected to attend the latter.
Athens and New Delhi have long signaled that a goal, in the first stage, is to double bilateral trade.
Another international trip that remains to be confirmed is a visit to Seoul, as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recently visited Athens and is due to attend Davos.
The Greek side is interested in closer relations with the Asian economic and technology powerhouse, especially in the shipping sector.
A trip to Canada is eyed for March, with a possible itinerary including a meeting with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and contacts with expatriate communities in the vast country.
Finally, any new meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would probably be scheduled for later in the spring, while both leaders are due to attend a NATO summit in Washington in July.
