I. Smyrlis: With the ‘East to Med Data Corridor’ pipeline, Greece becomes a hub for large Data Centers

The importance of the great agreement on the “East to Med Data Corridor” pipeline reached last week, during the visit of the Saudis, was highlighted by the Secretary General of International Economic Relations and Extroversion (DOSE) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Smyrxis, today on ERT1 news program “LINKS”.

Mr. Smyrlis explained that this is a pipeline, which will start from Saudi Arabia and end in Greece via Cyprus, “which creates an important hub between Europe, Asia and the Middle East, because it gives great value to transport and data storage, but also in data generation “. He stressed that “it is a strategic agreement between Greece and Saudi Arabia, in which Cyprus also participates” and stressed that it is “a real pipeline, which will be built and will cost 1 billion euros”, clarifying that “in July there will be The consortium and the beginning of autumn will start the project, which is expected to be completed in 2025 “.

In particular, referring to the pipelines that carry data signaling the future of the planet, he pointed out that in the interconnection that is created worldwide, which starts from Asia, from Singapore and reaches Europe, Genoa, Greece has managed to play an important pivotal role, both in The Middle East, in Saudi Arabia, as well as in the European Union, as a gateway to Athens.

Regarding the benefits of this agreement, Mr. Smyrlis said that Greece as a hub can attract large companies, to create data in the country, to store data and in fact to upgrade the economic, investment, commercial and consequently the geopolitical importance of the country.

“We have to see it as a whole,” he said. “This is a pipeline that creates security in the country, but also the economy of the future, because it has to do with the digital transformation of the country, but also with the large investments that are made here. So, in fact, it is a submarine cable that reaches in Greece, but in reality this cable brings new investors, creates large Data Centers in Greece, and the need to employ good minds and create new jobs “, he added.

Asked about the strategic relationship that the Greek government has developed with the United Arab Emirates, he said that following the visit of Prime Minister Mr. Mitsotakis there and the signing of agreements, a government and business mission from the Emirates is expected to arrive in Athens on June 22. Then “we will see how this fund of four billion that is created in Greece by the Emirates will lead to specific projects” pointed out the DOSE secretary general. He added: “There will be meetings with private and public companies, so that we can now reach the big projects that will be done and have a significant presence in practice, with projects, with investments in our country. It is very important to say that the fund is created in Greece with emirati funds and management of TANEO, so with Greek management and this shows the trust that exists and which has won the prime minister, but also all the ministers of the Greek government “.

Finally, Mr. Smyrlis referred to another important “event”, the first conference of business angels in Greece, which will be held in June, organized by the Hellenic Network of Business Angels and Enterprise Greece. In other words, these are, as he said, “large funds that want to invest in start-ups”, explaining that “at the conference we will have 60 international speakers and business representatives who will see the Greek ecosystem of start-ups. And we” closed “in 2023 to “We also organize the European conference of business angels in our country. This means that Greece has begun to become a hub in the region and in this sector.”

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ