“Greece is a great maritime nation with the largest commercial fleet in the world and thousands of islands, and it has one of the longest coastlines, while its connection to the sea shapes not only our economy and way of life but also our identity,” emphasized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking at the Plenary of the 3rd UN Conference on the Oceans in Nice, France.
The Prime Minister, who spoke in English, also sent a clear message stating that our country, as the president of the UN Security Council, promotes stability and security at sea and maritime transport, which, as he said, ensure prosperity and stability. He warmly thanked the states that organized this event, which helps focus our attention on the urgent need to accelerate collective action to protect the oceans and added:
“And this is not the mission of a single state, but of an entire generation.”
He pointed out that the Greek government has a very specific goal ahead of it, a significant amendment to the Agreement on the Conservation of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), so that it can come into force. As he said, this agreement is a historic step for the conservation of biodiversity, and the international community must promote the necessary restrictions as soon as possible. He also emphasized that the agreement has been amended and our country will submit its ratification document today, while he said that more will follow.
“I am pleased to announce that Greece has taken a very significant step for the protection of the sea at the national level; before the end of this month, we will initiate the legal process for the creation of two new national marine parks, one in the Ionian and the other in the Aegean,” emphasized the Prime Minister.
Mr. Mitsotakis said that the government will exponentially increase our marine protected areas, and once these sections are finalized, “we will significantly exceed the 30% threshold” before the deadline year, and “we will conduct bottom controlling in all our parks, and of course, we will not stop there.”
We are taking – he said – comprehensive measures to ensure that all our protected areas are effectively protected and are not just paper parks, while he mentioned automatic monitoring and effective management.
He added that our country is taking measures for the restoration, recovery, and resilience of biodiversity by creating living zones around the islands, “a safe haven for marine life.”
Mr. Mitsotakis also referred to the need to decouple shipping from carbon and said that shipping must accelerate its steps, while at the same time, this action must be coordinated globally to be effective, and for this reason, Greece has joined the ICS initiative aimed at clean energy.
Mr. Mitsotakis spoke of the need for a maritime hub of triple scale connection with alternative fuels, and for this reason, the recent IMO agreement must be adhered to by all countries. The Prime Minister also referred to maritime security, stating that it must be respected by all to promote global political stability, economic capability, security of supply, and sustainable development. He concluded by saying that for the prosperity of all people, “we must do more as an international community,” emphasizing that legal frameworks are necessary, and he stressed that we must all commit together and take action to save the future.
For the protection and security of our oceans and seas, legal frameworks are essential. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the only international framework we have for the maritime sector and a solid foundation for global governance at sea, the enduring importance of which is confirmed today with the BBNJ Agreement, its third implementation agreement.
Photo: AMNA/Press Office of the Prime Minister/Dimitris Papamitsos
