Today is the 27th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), the oldest and most institutionally mature organization for promoting economic cooperation in the wider Black Sea region.
Today, BSEC extends over a large geographical region and a market of 337 million residents, and is the ideal vehicle for further strengthening and deepening cooperation between its member states across a wide range of productive sectors, including agriculture, economy, culture, tourism and education.
As a founding member of BSEC, Greece has played a leading role in and actively supported its activities, capitalizing on our longstanding ties of friendship and cooperation with the peoples of the region.
On July 1st, Greece will be assuming the BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office for six months. Our primary goal is to enhance the operational nature of the Organization by encouraging more active participation of the member states and regional organizations in joint actions.
At the same time, we will try to further enhance the achievements of BSEC to date and its importance as a regional intergovernmental cooperation platform, enriching its activities with new initiatives. Also among our priorities are promotion of mutually beneficial development plans in sectors such as transport, energy and trade; actions to meet emerging challenges such as climate change; energy saving and efficiency; and promotion of alternative and renewable energy sources.
Remaining fully aligned with the stated goals of the Organization, Greece will continue to promote a positive agenda for cooperation among the member states, as we believe BSEC can function as an invaluable channel for dialogue and understanding, contributing significantly to the consolidation of trust and stability in our region.
June 26, 2019