Cybersecurity and Data Protection
September 12, 2018
Good afternoon, and thank you Elias, for the warm introduction.
It is my pleasure to be here today on behalf of the U.S. Mission to Greece to help kick off today’s discussion of Cybersecurity and Data Protection.
These issues form some of the core challenges facing governments and the private sector alike in this era of constant connectivity and advanced Internet technology.
They are also closely linked to our broader goals of promoting shared prosperity and economic cooperation, and are a pillar of our engagement and cooperation across the Atlantic.
Our shared cybersecurity objectives cannot be the work of any single country or entity.
Governments, militaries, the private sector, and citizens all rely on secure data to do their work.
Accordingly, the United States stands eager to continue to work collaboratively with like-minded international partners to promote cyber security due diligence, and to improve the security of global networks.
Indeed, the President’s May 2017 Executive Order directed U.S. departments and agencies to engage proactively and internationally with all partners to address key issues in cyberspace.
In response, the State Department in May of this year announced an International Engagement Strategy to ensure continued benefits and minimized risks in cyber space.
So we are pleased to see this important set of issues included in the Thessaloniki International Fair program.
It’s fitting that we do so when so many of our U.S. companies, including those represented at the fair, are leading the way in finding innovative solutions to this complex issue so that technological innovation can continue to transform the economic and social fabric of the United States and the world as a key driver of jobs, business creation and innovation in the 21st century.
I look forward to hearing from our Greek partners today about some of the efforts underway here in Greece within both the public and private sectors on how best to identify the risks of cyberspace, as well as strategies to prevent and manage these risks.
I especially want to thank Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas, both for all his efforts in promoting this tremendously successful fair this year, and for the work of his ministry in advancing these important issues.
I would also like to again thank the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce for organizing today’s conference and for bringing together today’s distinguished panel of speakers to elucidate how we can better partner in this critical effort.
Thank you.
