An ocean of potential: Greece, the US, and the Our Ocean conference

Politicians, scientists and organizations from all over the world were in Athens this April as Greece hosted the 9th International Our Ocean Conference. Greece, the US, and all stakeholders made some 450 commitments totalling billions of dollars for the protection of the oceans and seas, including two new marine parks in the Aegean and the Ionian seas. The State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Ocean, Fisheries and Polar Affairs Dr. Mahlet Mesfin joins Thanos Davelis to look back at the key takeaways from the Our Ocean conference in Athens, and explore how protecting the oceans is a space where the US and Greece can expand their already strong ties.Dr. Mahlet Mesfin serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Ocean, Fisheries and Polar Affairs in the Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs where she oversees the formulation and implementation of U.S. policy on a broad range of international issues concerning the ocean, the Arctic, the Antarctic, and marine conservation.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece to spend €780 mln to protect marine biodiversity, PM saysEnvironmental protection is blue, tooOur Ocean Conference in Athens, April 15-17, 2024USAID at Our Ocean Conference 2024Von der Leyen to unveil aid for Lebanon to stop refugee flows, says Cyprus‘Blue Homeland’ doctrine to be taught at Turkish schools