Athens, 29 August 2022 (TDI): Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Nikos Dendias, welcomed the United States (US) Special Presidential Climate Envoy, John Kerry at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday.
Both sides discussed boosting the US and Greece’s cooperation on climate actions and marine environmental protection. Moreover, they discussed “Our Ocean Greece Conference in 2024” and broader developments in Eastern Mediterranean.
FM @NikosDendias welcomed tdy to @GreeceMFA #US Special Presidential @ClimateEnvoy @JohnKerry for a fruitful discussion on:
🔹boosting 🇬🇷-🇺🇸 coop on climate action & marine environment protection
🔹#OurOceanGreece Conference in 2024
🔹broader dvpts in #EasternMediterranean pic.twitter.com/wW7viE7QvQ— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) August 29, 2022
John Kerry, the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate visited Athens, Greece, on 28-29 August.
During the meeting, the two parties discussed initiatives to cut global emissions, decarbonize ocean-based shipping, and build on the momentum of the ‘Our Ocean Conferences’.
Greece will host the ninth Our Ocean Conference in 2024. The conference will bring governments and non-state actors together to make specific commitments to protect the health and security of the oceans.
More than 1,800 initiates totaling about $108 billion have been made as a consequence of the Our Ocean Conferences since they first started in 2014.
Lastly, Greece’s Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, expressed gratitude to US Envoy, John Kerry for his visit to the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He stated, “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to cooperate on this very important agenda, having to do not just with the environment in an abstract form, but with the everyday life of every citizen of Greece and of every citizen of the world.”
He further added, “Thank you so much for being here today.”
US and Greece relations
Following Greece’s independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1837, the US appointed its first consul there.
The US provided hundreds of millions of dollars to restore Greece’s infrastructure, industry, and agriculture after the Second World War. Later, the two countries formally established diplomatic ties in 1868. Since then, the US maintains close political and cultural ties with Greece.
Due to its geostrategic position and involvement in multilateral diplomatic efforts like the “3+1” with Israel, the Republic of Cyprus, and the US, Greece is a significant ally in promoting growth and connectivity throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.
