Category: Cyprus News Agency

REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

SHIPPING DEPUTY MINISTRY

Shipping Deputy Minister’s Office

Address by the Shipping Deputy Minister, Ms. Marina Hadjimanolis

Joint Event with Arab Academy, for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

Cocktail Reception onboard AIDA IV

4 October 2025, 18:00 DP World, Limassol

(Honorable Minister of Bahrain),

Dear Professor,

Distinguished guests, dear colleagues,

Good evening and welcome!

It is a great pleasure to welcome you this evening onboard the AIDA IV, here at Limassol Port. This remarkable training vessel, operated by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, stands as a proud symbol of maritime excellence, innovation, and cooperation across our region.

Allow me to extend a particularly warm welcome to the Honourable Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Your presence with us here tonight is a true honour and underlines the importance of the strong and enduring ties between Cyprus and the Arab region.

I would also like to express my deep appreciation to Professor Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy, for his leadership and vision, as well as for bringing the AIDA IV to Cyprus.

This joint event marks another important step in our collaboration with the Arab Academy, following the Memorandum of Understanding we signed last October in Alexandria during my official visit to Egypt. The arrival of AIDA IV here in Cyprus is a tangible reflection of the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to advancing maritime education and cooperation.

We are confident that this partnership will open the way to many more concrete initiatives in maritime education, training, and sustainability.

Tonight’s reception is an opportunity not only to celebrate this partnership, but also to strengthen the ties between Cyprus, Egypt, and the wider Arab world. The presence of so many distinguished leaders from the shipping community highlights the importance of working together to build a sustainable and innovative future for global shipping.

On behalf of the Shipping Deputy Ministry of the Republic of Cyprus, I warmly thank the Arab Academy for their partnership and look forward to the fruitful cooperation that lies ahead.

Thank you, and I wish you all a most pleasant evening.

Cyprus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, met in Abu Dhabi, on Saturday, with the Chairman of the Defence Affairs, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee at the UAE Federal National Council, Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi.

In a post on X, Kombos stressed that they reaffirmed the strong friendship between Cyprus and the UAE, and “our shared commitment to tolerance, coexistence, and promoting peace and sustainable development”.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos visits Kuwait on Sunday, where he will hold a series of meetings and take part in the 29th Joint Council between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU).

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the day, Kombos will meet with the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region, Luigi di Maio, as well as with the Secretary-General of the GCC, Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi. He will also meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, whose country currently holds the GCC Presidency.

Kombos will also participate in the 2nd High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation, which will take place on Sunday evening in Kuwait, with the participation of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the GCC Secretary-General, and the Foreign Ministers of EU and GCC member states.

On Monday, October 6, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will take part in the proceedings of the Joint GCC-EU Council.

Bahrain is a stable and reliable partner and supports Cyprus on many issues, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades said on Sunday, following a meeting at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Larnaca with Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Dr. Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.

He added that the Bahraini Minister’s visit to the island presents an opportunity to explore new areas of cooperation, particularly in the operation of ports and airports.

On his part, Dr. Al Khalifa stated that Cyprus has always been a reliable partner, noting that the goal of the meeting was to enhance the bilateral partnership between the Kingdon of Bahrein and the Republic of Cyprus in the fields of transportation, the fields of shipping and telecommunications.

Speaking after the meeting, Vafeades said that ‘it was an excellent opportunity to discuss how we can expand the scope of our cooperation. Bahrain is a stable and reliable partner that supports Cyprus on many issues, and through the visit of the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, we have the chance to explore new ways and new opportunities for collaboration, particularly regarding the operation and management of ports and airports.’

He added that ‘we see that friendly countries can find ways to cooperate, to improve the quality of life of their citizens by working together and exploring areas that can add value to each country. That, I believe, is the essence of meetings like this.’

When asked whether any agreements had been signed with the Bahraini Minister, Vafeades said none has been signed yet, but ‘we intend to explore ways to strengthen our cooperation.’

Referring to the Joint Rescue Coordination Center, the Minister said that ‘Cyprus can be proud of and showcase its position as a country committed to saving lives and providing assistance to those in need. This is something that other countries also value and wish to learn from, in order to adopt our best practices.’

On his part, Dr. Al Khalifa described the meeting with Vafeades as ‘very productive,’ noting that it aimed to enhance bilateral cooperation between Bahrain and Cyprus in transport, shipping, and telecommunications.

He added that part of the discussion was to be informed about the work and operations of JRCC. He praised the Center’s operations, noting that it is ‘a very strategic location within the Mediterranean,’ and commended Cyprus for its support of the Palestinian people through the establishment of the humanitarian corridor.

Dr. Al Khalifa also stated that ‘we have full faith in the continuous dedication of Cyprus through the JRCC and through various Ministries and agencies to enhance regional and international cooperation, but also through providing the necessary support to the people of Palestine”.

He continued by saying that “we are very much eager to enhance our bilateral relations between Bahrein and Cyprus in the field of search and rescue, the practice and accumulative expertise that we have seen here in JRCC are truly recommendable, and practice that we have a lot to engage with, and to further enhance the partnership between the institution and cooperation through our Ministries but also through the technical cooperation between the two teams from Bahrein and here in Cyprus”.

Following the meeting, the Bahraini Minister was briefed by the JRCC Commander and staff on the Center’s operations and on the training program for Bahraini officers at the training facility.

Cyprus welcomed on Saturday in Limassol the training vessel AIDA IV, with Shipping Deputy Minister, Marina Hadjimanolis, stressing that its arrival is a tangible reflection of the strength of the partnership and shared commitment to advancing maritime education and cooperation.

In her address at a joint event with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, onboard the training vessel AIDA IV, at Limassol Port, Hadjimanolis noted that the vessel, operated by the Academy stands as a proud symbol of maritime excellence, innovation, and cooperation across the region.

She welcomed the Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Bahrain, noting that his presence underlines the importance of the strong and enduring ties between Cyprus and the Arab region. She also expressed her appreciation for Professor Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar Ismail Farag, President of the Arab Academy, for his leadership and vision, as well as for bringing the AIDA IV to Cyprus.

“This joint event marks another important step in our collaboration with the Arab Academy, following the Memorandum of Understanding we signed last October in Alexandria during my official visit to Egypt. The arrival of AIDA IV here in Cyprus is a tangible reflection of the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to advancing maritime education and cooperation”, she underlined.

The Deputy Minister added that “we are confident that this partnership will open the way to many more concrete initiatives in maritime education, training, and sustainability”.

Hadjimanolis also said that the reception is an opportunity to celebrate this partnership, but also to strengthen the ties between Cyprus, Egypt, and the wider Arab world. “The presence of so many distinguished leaders from the shipping community highlights the importance of working together to build a sustainable and innovative future for global shipping,” she concluded.

Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, inaugurated on Sunday the Hadjiyiannio Health Center, in Akaki, in the western part of the Nicosia district, which, officials said will serve 15 communities.

In his speech, the President said the creation of this health centre was the idea of late Akaki community leader Giannakis Hadjiyiannis, while also referred to Andreas Hadjiyiannis, who offered pound 200,000 towards the construction of the pound 5.2 million project.

The Akaki Health Center, the President said, that covers an area of 3,355 square meters, is ‘a model’ as regards primary healthcare infrastructure. It has five General Practices and is part of a network of 37 Health Centers of the State Health Services Organization (OKYpY) and will serve the needs of the residents of Akaki and the neighbouring communities of the West Nicosia area, he added.

‘We are moving forward with new projects, within the next three years amounting to pound 138 million, he said, including pound 10 million for the hospital in Polis Chrysochous.

As regards the healthcare sector, he said they will also move forward with other projects. He referred to the Urgent Care Centers located next to the Accident and Emergency Centers, which helped to relieve the congestion of the A and E Centers.

Over pound 46.7 million have been spent in recent years on major projects, such as the hematology clinic at Troodos Hospital, the construction of a new dialysis unit at Paphos General Hospital, the Children’s Intensive Care Unit at Nicosia General Hospital, the dialysis unit at Famagusta General Hospital, work on the second floor and the Intensive Care Unit at Larnaca General Hospital, as well as the completion of a phase at Athalassa Psychiatric Hospital, said Chairman of State Health Services Organisation (OKYpY) Board of Directors, Marinos Kallis, in his own speech.

Over pound 70 million have been spent, he added, on the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment, such as CT and MRI scanners, angiographs, etc., which make public hospitals more competitive comparing with the private sector.

Kallis also referred to the implementation of programs amounting to pound 182 million, between 2025 and 2027, which, he said, was the Organization’s strategic goal for the upgrade of public hospitals.

Regarding the Akaki Health Center, Kallis thanked the Hadjiyiannis family for their financial contribution, noting that the center will serve 15 communities and its purpose is to offer area residents access to high-quality healthcare services.

There will be general practitioners, nursing staff, specialist doctors, such as a general surgeon, an orthopedic and a surgeon for minor surgeries, as well as a cardiologist. The center, he said, is equipped with a modern radiography machine and a bone density scanner.

If Turkey wishes to participate in regional partnerships, it must respect international law and resolve the Cyprus issue, President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday.

The President was invited by the press, upon his arrival at the inauguration ceremony of a Health Center in Akaki village, in Nicosia district, to comment on statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan regarding alliances in the Eastern Mediterranean.

He said that the Republic of Cyprus and all countries in the region are working on the basis of a positive approach, without excluding anyone who respects international law. ‘Therefore, if Mr. Fidan wishes for his country to take part in these initiatives, all he has to do is to respect the international law and, within this framework, move forward with resolving the Cyprus issue,’ he noted, adding that ‘Turkey is excluding itself through its own daily behavior.’

Asked whether he would seek a meeting with the new Turkish Cypriot leader after the ‘elections’ in the Turkish occupied areas of the island, the President replied, ‘yes, I will request on the very same evening a meeting, with whoever is elected’.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

There is a full understanding and a framework agreement between Greece and Cyprus regarding the electricity connection project (GSI), President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, said on Sunday, stressing, also, the recent agreement between himself and the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on how to proceed on this issue.

The President, who was invited to asked to comment on a local newspaper publication which said that the Greek Independent Power Transmission Operator, filed an objection against a decision taken by the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA), also stressed that the government supports “only the interests of the Cypriot people’ and cannot be blackmailed “through letters of paid notices.”

‘I should note that for this specific project there is full understanding and a framework agreement between the Greek and Cypriot Governments. I should also mention that recently in New York we agreed with the Greek Prime Minister on how to proceed in a very concrete way, and a related announcement was even issued,’ he noted.

Responding to a comment that a major shareholder of the IPTO is the Greek Government, the President of the Republic said that it is not the Greek Government that decides on the letters sent by IPTO, and that there is a framework agreed with the Greek government on how the project proceeds, the obligations of each party, while recalling the recent joint announcement by the Greek Prime Minister and himself following their meeting in New York.

Later on, the IPTO issued a press release, categorically denying information published by “Phileleftheros” newspaper.

“The IPTO recognizes and claims only the agreed first installment of pound 25 million for 2025, and nothing more concerning the project’s investment expenditures (capex). It denies the arbitrary and unverified information in the report suggesting an immediate claim of pound 251 million, which is part of the project’s total pound 1.9 billion, and which is expected to be recovered over the 35-year regulatory depreciation period”, the press release read.

It further noted that the reason it requested a revision of the regulator’s decision, was that it did not acknowledge the expenses the Operator has paid to date, despite the evidence submitted and the fact that the Greek regulatory authority has acknowledged them. Specifically, CERA only acknowledged an amount of pound 82 million, compared to approximately pound 251 million, which, according to IPTO, constitutes the verified investment expenditures to date, the press release said.

The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, has said that the full implementation of President Trump’s proposal for Gaza is critical, following Hamas’ response.

In a post on X, the President reaffirmed “Cyprus’ support to President Trump’s proposal for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza”.

He added that, following Hamas’ response, “full implementation is critical. I commend continued mediation efforts and Cyprus strongly supports all diplomatic efforts, for the benefit of our region,” he underlined

The 65th anniversary of the independence and establishment of the Republic of Cyprus was marked, on Thursday, during a ceremony at the historic Westminster Abbey, in London. The ceremony, which is held every year in honor of the member states of the Commonwealth, included prayers for the prosperity of the Cypriot people and for peace in the wider region.

As is traditionally the case, the flag of the Republic of Cyprus flew on the mast of the emblematic church, symbolizing the historic ties of Cyprus with the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

On behalf of the Republic of Cyprus, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Kyriacos Kouros, was present and read a passage from the Holy Bible.

The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, members of the Cypriot diplomatic mission, as well as Bishop Iakovos of Claudiopolis.

Members of the National Federation of Cypriots in the United Kingdom and the Youth of the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots (NEPOMAK UK), participated at the event reaffirming the unbreakable bonds of the Cypriot diaspora with their homeland.

Representatives of Cypriot community organizations in the UK also attended it, highlighting the enduring and vibrant connection of the diaspora with Cyprus.