Category: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos continued his contacts and meetings in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Regional developments and bilateral ties were on the agenda.

The Minister met Monday (NY time) with his counterparts from the UAE and India, among other officials. Kombos posted on X that it is always a privilege to meet his dear friend and colleague, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE.

”Exchanged views on reinforcing our strategic partnership, reaffirming excellent – bilateral ties. I also expressed full support for rapid progress in EU-UAE relations. Held insightful exchange on key regional files, and once again expressed solidarity with UAE’s Government and people”, Kombos posted on X.

The Minister also met with Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology of the UAE, with a focus on implementing the Cyprus-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Energy Partnership and implementing next steps ahead.

Kombos held also a meeting with PM/FM of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Than. “Reaffirmed the shared objective for regional stability and security. We also reviewed bilateral relations and examined concrete ways to further enhance them”, he said.

The Minister also attended an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in the margins of UNGA with Indo-Pacific partners, hosted by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.

He said that on the agenda was the effective multilateralism for the prevention and management of security crises, EU and Indo-Pacific cooperation, including on maritime, critical-infrastructure security and emerging technologies and economic security, resilience, diversification of critical supply chains.

Kombos accompanied President Nikos Christodoulides with his meeting with King of Jordan Abdullah with Cyprus-Jordan bilateral relations, EU-Jordan relations and regional developments on the agenda.

Talks on how to strengthen bilateral cooperation, regional developments, as well as EU-Algeria relations were on the agenda of the meeting Kombos had with his counterpart.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 22/09/2026 UNTIL 0600 23/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1011hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. Today, locally increased cloud coverage will be present at times, while isolated showers over the northern and the western coastal areas are likely. Tonight, locally increased cloud coverage will be present.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning North to Northeast 3, soon South to Southwest Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually near the coast Northwest to Northeast 3 Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3, gradually Southwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to West 4, at times 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, at times Slight

Night Southwest to West 3 to 4, gradually near the coast Northwest to Northeast 3 Smooth to Slight

East Coast

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually South to Southwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon South to Southwest 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night South to Southwest 3 to 4, gradually Southwest to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

Morning South to Southwest 3, later Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night South to Southwest 3 to 4, gradually near the coast Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

The impacts of climate change for the Mediterranean and the need for timely, science-based adaptation and mitigation measures were highlighted at the opening of the 8th International MedCLIVAR Scientific Conference in Limassol on Monday.

More than 150 scientists from 25 countries, as well as representatives of public bodies, are attending the conference, which runs until September 25. Discussions focus on climate science, the impacts of climate change and research aimed at supporting policymaking and strengthening climate resilience. The Mediterranean region is warming at about twice the global average, with impacts expected to intensify in the coming decades, organisers have said.

Cyprus Institute President, Stavros Malas, noted that climate change must remain a regional priority despite geopolitical instability, stressing the need for continued research and international cooperation. Limassol Mayor, Yiannis Armeftis, highlighted the city’s commitment to climate neutrality by 2030, while conference organising committee head, George Zittis, said the region was already experiencing more frequent and intense heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and floods.

The Cyprus, Greek and Israeli departments of meteorology have announced a list of names to be given to severe weather events during the 2026-2027 period, as part of the joint naming system they operate in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The new list includes 25 names of Greek, Cypriot and Israeli origin, which will be used in alphabetical order: Argos, Bar, Havrias, Dorothea, Eitan, Philippa, Glaukos, Hantar, Ikaros, Jason, Kendem, Laskarina, Morpheus, Nadia, Odysseus, Persephone, Roxane, Sisyphus, Tamar, Uranus, Vergina, Wasim, Xantheia, Hypnos and Zohar.

This collaboration between the three countries does not mean that the names apply exclusively to storms that will affect all three simultaneously. A weather system may be named when it is estimated that it will cause serious impacts in even one of these countries. However, as storms move and often affect more than one country, the name is retained throughout their path and may also be used by the authorities of neighbouring states.

Cyprus, Greece and Israel form the Eastern Mediterranean naming group. The geographical area they cover encompasses a large part of the route of barometric systems in the region, enabling better coordination of forecasts and warnings.

The aim of the naming scheme is to make it easier to recognise dangerous weather conditions, to avoid confusion and to enable the citizens and the authorities to take necessary measures in good time.

Cyprus Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas met with President of the Arab Republic of Egypt Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi on Tuesday morning during his visit to the country for the Trilateral Meeting of the Defence Ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Egypt.

According to a post by the Minister on X, during his meeting with the Egyptian President, Palmas reiterated the importance that the Republic of Cyprus attaches to further strengthening its close relations with Egypt, highlighting the substantive strategic dimension that bilateral cooperation between the two countries has acquired in the fields of defence and security.

Cyprus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, continued on Tuesday his bilateral meetings with several of his counterparts currently visiting New York on the occasion of the UN General Assembly and signed an Air Services Agreement with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, aiming to increase connectivity between Cyprus and Rwanda, as well as an MoU on Political Consultations with his Romanian counterpart, Toiu Oana.

Kombos firstly met with Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Youssef Raggi, a meeting which Kombos described as “constructive”.

As he wrote on a post on X, he and Raggi reviewed the strong bilateral ties between Cyprus and Lebanon and reiterated their determination to further deepen bilateral cooperation.

They also discussed regional developments, the EU-Lebanon partnership and the shared commitment to peace, security and stability.

According to Kombos, he reaffirmed Cyprus’ full respect to Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Cyprus’ Foreign Minister also met with the Foreign Minister of Morocco and had a discussion with him “on steps ahead of our bilateral relations,”, as he wrote on another post on X.

Kombos noted that they exchanged views on EU-Morocco ties, as well as regional developments.

Furthermore, the Minister said that he had a “very good exchange” with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe.

In a post on X, Kombos said that he discussed with his counterpart concrete ways to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as topics of regional and international remit.

“During our meeting it was also a pleasure to sign the Air Services Agreement aiming to increase connectivity between Cyprus and Rwanda,” he noted.

The Foreign Minister also met with his Serbian counterpart, Marko Djuric. As he noted, they discussed the steps ahead in their “close bilateral partnership.”

Kombos also expressed Cyprus’ steadfast support to Serbia’s EU accession perspective and reaffirmed Cyprus’ principled stance vis-à-vis the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

The two Ministers also exchanged views on regional developments, as Kombos noted.

Kombos also with the Foreign Minister of Romania, Toiu Oana, with whom he signed an MoU on Political Consultations between the two countries, “further strengthening our close relations and continuous coordination in the bilateral European and multilateral context,” as he wrote in another post on X.

The President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, attends on Tuesday the opening of the UN General Assembly’s plenary session in New York, during which the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will present his report on the work of the organisation. Christodoulides will subsequently meet with UK Prime Minister Andrew Burnham, at the UN headquarters.

Later in the afternoon local time, he will meet with Chevron’s President of Basic Resources and Emerging Markets, Javier La Rosa, while at 18:00 New York time (01:00 Cyprus time), he will meet with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin.

According to a press release issued by the Presidency of the Republic, on Wednesday, September 23, at around 12:30 New York time, the President will address the plenary of the UN General Assembly.

He will later participate in the High-Level Meeting convened by the UN Secretary-General on climate change, where he will make an intervention, while on Wednesday afternoon he will meet with ExxonMobil Vice President, John Ardill.

On Thursday morning, Christodoulides will attend a working breakfast organised by Antenna Group and the Atlantic Council on ‘Strengthening EU-Gulf Cooperation for Regional Security and Prosperity’.

At 10:55 New York time, the President will meet with UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, at the Secretary-General’s office at the UN headquarters.

The President of the Republic will subsequently host a luncheon for the Permanent Representatives of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

On the morning of September 25, the President will meet with Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng, followed by a meeting with representatives of the AJC.

Before departing New York, President Christodoulides will attend a dinner hosted in his honour by Cypriot diaspora organisations.

President Christodoulides is accompanied to New York by Foreign Minister, Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, and negotiator of the Greek Cypriot side, Menelaos Menelaou.

The President is scheduled to return to Cyprus on the evening of September 26.

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.

Diesel prices in Cyprus increased by 11.3% and petrol prices by 6.2% in August 2026 compared with July, according to data published by Eurostat on Tuesday.

The increase in petrol prices in Cyprus was among the highest in the EU in August. Higher increases were recorded in Spain, at 8.2%, Romania, at 6.6%, and Italy, at 6.3%.

On an annual basis, fuel and lubricant prices in Cyprus increased by 19.1%.

Overall, petrol prices rose between July and August in 22 EU countries, fell in three and remained stable in the other two. Slight decreases were recorded in Hungary (-0.6%), Denmark (-0.3%) and Slovakia (-0.1%).

As regards diesel, price increases were recorded in 26 EU countries, with the largest rises in Czechia (+14.3%), Bulgaria (+13.5%) and Luxembourg (+12.3%). The smallest increases were recorded in Italy (+5.2%), Romania (+6.1%) and the Netherlands (+6.2%).

Development spending implementation reached 37% at the end of August 2026, compared with 37% in the corresponding period of 2025 and 32% of the ten-year annual average, with revenue implementation reaching 63% and actual expenditure 53%, according to the Treasury of the Republic.

Development spending implementation amounted to pound 603.29 million in the first eight months of 2026, out of total projected development expenditure of pound 1.625 billion.

Specifically, according to the ‘State Budget Implementation’ report for the period January 1-August 31, 2026, published by the Treasury on Tuesday, revenue at the end of August stood at pound 6.8 billion, corresponding to 63% of the state revenue budget (2025: pound 6.06 billion, 59%), while actual expenditure amounted to pound 6.14 billion, corresponding to implementation of 53% (2025: pound 5.85 billion, 53%). Compared with the corresponding period of 2025, according to the Treasury, revenue increased by pound 0.74 billion, mainly due to an increase in revenue from direct and indirect taxes of pound 0.58 billion and pound 0.21 billion, respectively.

Borrowing inflows at the end of August 2026 amounted to pound 1.35 billion (2025: pound 0.07 billion), while borrowing outflows stood at pound 2.13 billion (2025: pound 0.14 billion).

Revenue

More specifically, regarding revenue during the first eight months of 2026, according to the Treasury, indirect taxes increased by a net pound 0.21 billion (8%) compared with 2025, mainly due to an increase in VAT revenue of pound 0.23 billion (2026: pound 2.29 billion, 2025: pound 2.06 billion), while direct taxes increased by pound 0.58 billion (23%) compared with 2025, due to an increase in income tax paid by legal entities and individuals of pound 0.58 billion (2026: pound 2.81 billion, 2025: pound 2.23 billion).

Expenditure

Regarding expenditure on salaries, pensions and gratuities, according to the Treasury, implementation was at the same level as in the corresponding period last year (pound 2.16 billion in both 2026 and 2025).

Social benefit expenditure amounted to pound 1.23 billion at the end of August 2026, compared with pound 1.20 billion in 2025.

Transfers and grants amounted to pound 1.28 billion (2025: pound 1.20 billion), representing a net increase of pound 0.08 billion (7%) compared with 2025.

Meanwhile, implementation of operating and other expenditure stood at pound 0.65 billion at the end of August 2026 (2025: pound 0.50 billion).

Regarding financing expenditure, financing costs including interest payable and expenses amounted to pound 0.43 billion at the end of August 2026 (2025: pound 0.44 billion).

According to the Treasury, implementation of capital expenditure amounted to pound 198.7 million at the end of August 2026.

Implementation of co-financed and other financing expenditure amounted to pound 169.7 million.

Implementation of grants, contributions and subsidies amounted to pound 164.0 million.

Finally, implementation of social benefit expenditure amounted to pound 31.2 million, according to the Treasury.

Ministers of Defence of Cyprus, Greece and Egypt agreed to strengthen defence cooperation through joint exercises and training, greater interoperability and the exchange of expertise during their 6th Trilateral Defence Meeting in Cairo on Tuesday.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence, following the meeting, the three Ministers signed a Joint Declaration.

‘During the meeting, the excellent relations between the three countries and their shared will to further deepen cooperation to safeguard regional security were reaffirmed, based on respect for the United Nations Charter, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), other relevant agreements and the rules of international law,’ the press release said.

It also noted that the three Ministers exchanged views on international and regional developments, security challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as the impact of ongoing crises on regional security and stability.

The importance of cooperation to de-escalate tensions and the need to end armed conflicts were also stressed, while the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining constructive dialogue as a key means of peacefully resolving disputes, the press release added.

Particular emphasis was also placed on strengthening operational cooperation through joint exercises and training, as well as enhancing interoperability and the exchange of expertise. Ways of strengthening trilateral cooperation in the areas of maritime security, search and rescue, cyber defence and the protection of critical infrastructure were also discussed, it is noted.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the three sides agreed to maintain the momentum of trilateral defence cooperation, with the aim of further strengthening security, resilience and stability in the wider region.

On the sidelines of the trilateral meeting, Cyprus Minister of Defence, Vasilis Palmas, met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi and held separate bilateral meetings with his two counterparts, Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher and Nikos Dendias, during which the progress and prospects of Cyprus’ bilateral defence cooperation with Greece and Egypt, as well as regional issues of common interest, were discussed.