Daniela Marggraff is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Ocean Regions Programme at the University of Pretoria. Her research explores ocean governance and geopolitics, focusing on the foreign policy of Large Ocean States (LOS), the militarisation of islands in the Indo-Pacific, and the strategic significance of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Her recent publication, “Seychelles and Mauritius as Pioneers: The Case for a Refined Conceptualisation of Small State Foreign Policy,” appeared in the Strategic Review for Southern Africa (2025). In addition to her academic work, Daniela currently serves as a research consultant on maritime security for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).