3rd Southeast Europe & East Med Forum held March 14-15 in Washington

Τhe Delphi Economic Forum and the Hellenic-American Leadership Council are organizing the 3rd Conference on Southeast Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Balkans on March 14-15 in Washington.
 
Focusing on Russia’s invasion in Ukraine and Greece’s role in the region of SE Europe, leaders from across the political and economic spheres will provide concrete answers to the region’s burning issues, with an emphasis on energy, security and economic development.
 
Some of the key topics of the conference include US President Joe Biden’s doctrine and how it affects the Eastern Mediterranean, the way economic diplomacy can facilitate the West’s mission to keep the countries of SE Europe in the liberal world as well as the influence of energy diplomacy in transforming the region.
 
Leaders from all around the social spectrum will be joining the two-day event, during which they will have the opportunity to discuss strategies and a call for action to strengthen ties between the US and the countries of SE Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Government officials, scholars and thought leaders will participate in discussions and analyses to make recommendations on issues related to regional policy-making for SE Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean.
 
Participants from the Greek side include Alternate Foreign Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Environment Minister Kostas Skrekas as well as Alternate Minister of Development and Investments Nikos Papathanasis. 

Meanwhile, Assistant US Secretary of State Karen Donfried, US Senators Robert Menendez and Chis Van Hollen, from New Jersey and Maryland respectively, will attend the event. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also be joining the event.

Opinion leaders, think tanks, government officials, leaders from business and academics will join the conversation, including Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the US Department of Energy Andrew Light, former EU Special Representative for human rights Stavros Labrinidis, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the US Oksana Markarova, Greek Ambassador to the US Alexandra Papadopoulou and US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt.

The agenda of the conference raises a series of important issues that shape today’s geopolitical challenges: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the relations among Greece-Cyprus-Israel-USA, tackling tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece as a pillar of stability, the air force as a key to stability and peace in the Eastern Mediterranean, the US commitments to the Western Balkans, the strengthening of US-Greek defense, security, energy, trade and tourism relations, the understanding of Turkish strategy and the growing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the impact of diaspora on international relations. 

The event, which comes at a time of great turmoil on the international political scene – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a year since the White House change of command and the escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean – is expected to be of great importance to the international diplomatic scene and have a significant impact, on subsequent political developments in the wider region of SE Europe.

The Greek mission will hold meetings with the most significant think-tanks in Washington including The Center of American Progress, The German Marshall Fund of the United States, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) and the Atlantic Council. 

The event is supported and co-organized by the Delphi Economic Forum and the Hellenic American Leadership Council chaired by Endy Zemenides, with Kathimerini newspaper as the communication sponsor.

The event will be held in English.

Find out more about the program here.