Cyprus Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Christos Senekis, highlighted the need for immediate and coordinated international action to protect biodiversity, address the challenges of water scarcity and tackle the impacts of climate change. The Minister participated Friday in the “Leaders for Nature” Summit, in Yerevan, Armenia, representing President Nikos Christodoulides.
The Summit was attended by heads of state and government,UN Secretary-General António Guterres, EU and international organizations representatives and other high-ranking officials.
The event took place ahead of COP17 on biodiversity to take place from October 19 to 30 in the Armenian capital. In his address to the plenary, the Minister referred to the specific challenges Cyprus faces as a Mediterranean island state, noting that climate change, water scarcity, land degradation, forest fires and mounting pressures on coastal and marine ecosystems are already a reality.
Senekis said that nature conservation is directly linked to water security, resilience against the impacts of climate change and the well-being of societies. He underlined the need for comprehensive policies in agriculture, water resource management, tourism, infrastructure and investment.
At the same time, he underscored the importance of mobilizing public and private financial resources, as well as the active participation of local communities, the scientific community and the business sector.
Referring to international commitments regarding biodiversity, he pointed out that the international community must accelerate their implementation by 2030, translating goals into concrete actions and measurable results.
Bilateral meetings on the sidelines
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On the sidelines of the Summit, Senekis held a series of bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening cooperation in areas of particular importance to Cyprus.
Particular emphasis was placed on water resource management and addressing water scarcity during the meeting between the Minister and the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi.
Senekis conveyed Cyprus’ gratitude to the UAE for the mobile desalination units, highlighting the significance of this support in addressing Cyprus’ water-related challenges.
The two sides explored opportunities for further cooperation in areas such as desalination, water reuse, smart irrigation, agricultural research and the development of drought-resistant crops.
Discussions also covered a UAE-led initiative to foster regional cooperation among countries facing common water scarcity challenges, in the lead-up to the United Nations Water Conference, which will take place in Abu Dhabi from December 8 to 10.
Furthermore, the Minister raised the issue of protecting Cypriot halloumi cheese in the UAE market, emphasizing the need to strengthen cooperation and information exchange between the competent authorities to address imitation issues.
During his meeting with the Armenian Minister of Economy, Gevorg Papoyan, the two sides discussed prospects for further enhancing cooperation in the agricultural sector and namely smart farming, irrigation and water management, research and innovation and the expansion of trade in agricultural products.
They discussed about a possible set up of a Joint Working Group, the drafting of an Action Plan and the development of direct contacts between producers and businesses from both countries.
Senekis underscored that the objective is to leverage the strong historical and friendly ties between Cyprus and Armenia to foster concrete, mutually beneficial partnerships.
The Minister also held a bilateral meeting with the Armenian Minister of Environment, during which the long-standing excellent relations and strong historical bonds between the two nations were reaffirmed.
They focused on strengthening cooperation to address common environmental challenges, on coordination in the context of international negotiations on biodiversity and on the exploitation of existing cooperation frameworks.
Cyprus’ participation in the Summit and the bilateral contacts that took place are part of the efforts to strengthen international cooperation to address environmental challenges, with particular emphasis on the protection of biodiversity, the resilience of agriculture and the sustainable management of water resources, a press release from the Ministry reads.