Greece and Nigeria linked through Giannis Antetokounmpo says Greek FM; donates 900,000 vaccines

During visit yesterday to Nigeria, Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias reminded his Nigerian counterpart that their two countries were linked also through "the best basketball player in the United States and the world currently, Giannis Antetokounmpo, familiar to the Greeks as Giannis."

This was the first ever visit of a Greek foreign minister to Nigeria, with Dendias meeting  his counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama in the capital of Abuja where they signed  a memorandum of understanding on bilateral talks between Greece and Nigeria, while the Greek minister noted that there is a long list of agreements which both foreign ministries are working to complete. He also invited his counterpart to visit Athens soon.

"We see the Meditteranean Sea as a linking bridge rather than a dividing border," Dendias said prior to meeting with Onyeama, therefore Greece sees Nigeria as a neighbor, he added.

During his meeting with with Federal Minister for Health Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora, Nikos Dendias announced that Greece was donating 907,000 doses of Covid vaccines to Nigeria and is part of Greece's assistance to third countries to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

As Africa contains the fastest-growing economies in the world and Nigeria is the largest one in the continent, Greece believes that as a member of the European Union it can facilitate communication between Europe and Africa, the Greek minister said.

The visiting minister also thanked his Nigerian counterpart for referring to the strong presence of the Greek business community in the African country for over 100 years. As both ministers noted, "Greek names are familiar in Nigeria, meaning that this Greek business community did not come to Nigeria to make a profit and then leave, but became Greek and Nigerian together, serving both countries, both nations, and our common future." Dendias expressed the hope that on his next visit he will be able to travel to Lagos and meet with Greek business community, "for which we are very proud, and this could become our linking bridge."