Right: Anat Aharon, Deputy CEO of the Brown Hotels chain, and Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Tourism of Greece. Photo: PR Ministers, investors and international business leaders from Greece and Israel gathered last night at the Brown Acropolis Hotel in Athens as part of the MARE MED III conference. The conference's goal is to establish the new strategic architecture of Europe and the Middle East.
The conference, held in collaboration with Enterprise Greece, focused on the IMEC economic corridor connecting India and Europe and strengthening the Greece-Israel-Cyprus regional axis. Throughout the discussions, the importance of energy and maritime connectivity was emphasized as a key component of the region's stability and economic development.
Keynote speakers included Greek Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias, Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel, alongside Israeli Ambassador to Greece Noam Katz and other senior officials. Participants emphasized the importance of strengthening regional cooperation in the areas of energy, infrastructure, and the maritime economy.
Olga Kefalogianni, the Greek Minister of Tourism, referred to the human and economic dimension of the relations between the countries, saying that the connection between Greece and Israel is not only strategic, but also a personal and human connection that is expressed daily in societies and economies. According to her, Greece strives to be a global reference point for quality, authenticity, hospitality and sustainable tourism development.
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel emphasized the importance of regional connectivity and energy infrastructure, noting that the great maritime link constitutes a security bridge that strengthens the resilience of the entire region. According to her, a connected region is a resilient region, and every new energy connection strengthens stability, cooperation, and shared prosperity.
During the conference, discussions on cyber and infrastructure issues were also held with the participation of representatives from Israel Aerospace Industries and Israel Shipyards. At the same time, Leon Avigad of Brown's Israel Canada presented tourism as an economic and experiential pillar that encourages cross-border investments.
Anat Aharon, Deputy CEO of the Brown Chain from Beth Israel Canada, noted that while Greece strengthens its position as a gateway to Europe through port and shipping infrastructure, and Israel establishes itself as a center of technology and innovation, the strategic relationship between the countries is becoming a reality of broad economic and geopolitical cooperation. According to her, the company is proud to take part in the process and plans to expand its activities in both regions in the coming year.
The conference concluded with a series of meetings designed to promote the transition from geopolitical agreements to business collaborations on the ground.