Greece highlights the need for coordinated action on maritime security at the UN.
New York – On the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, Greece hosted an event titled "Ensuring freedom of navigation: Maritime security and coordinated actions”.
The event, attended by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexandra Papadopoulou, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), representatives of UN member states and the private sector, focused on the issue of maritime security which is a top priority for Greece during its tenure in the UN Security Council.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister Papadopoulou highlighted Greece’s leading role in global shipping, emphasizing the importance of maritime security and the reasons Greece has chosen to promote this issue as a key priority during its tenure in the Security Council.
The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization underscored the freedom of navigation as a fundamental principle governing human activity at sea. In this context, he stressed the central role of the Law of the Sea and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) presented three guidelines for addressing current challenges: institutionalized response, accountability and investment in resilience. He underlined that only through strong institutions and a clear definition of legal responsibility, in theory and practice, can states be protected against maritime crime.
The representative of the Greek company Diaplous, Mr. Nikolaos Georgopoulos, presented the rescue operation of the oil tanker “Sounion” in the Red Sea as a case study of successful collaboration between public and private actors. He highlighted Diaplous' critical contribution, along with the use of diplomatic channels and operational tools from regional organizations.
This side event at the United Nations sent a strong message on the need to strengthen maritime security. Greece has undertaken a series of initiatives on the topic, the most recent being the discussion at the UN Security Council this past May.
Greece will continue to actively promote this important issue at the international level, including through its tenure in the UN Security Council.
September 24, 2025