Category: Cyprus News Agency

There are indications of positive developments on the Cyprus issue, President Nikos Christodoulides said Monday, noting that contacts are taking place in New York away from the public eye and that the Cyprus side is ready to support UN Secretary-General’s efforts.

In press statements following his meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan in New York, President Christodoulides said that positive developments could not be ruled out, as ‘from the very first moment we arrived here, we have seen several meetings taking place, which I would describe as behind-the-scenes meetings, that are not coming to light.’

He said the objective, with all the parties involved present in New York this week, is to create the conditions for positive developments, which ‘cannot be anything other than an announcement on the resumption of talks from where they left off at Crans-Montana, through an expanded conference.’

The President of the Republic said the contacts currently under way are also an indication of the personal interest of the UN Secretary-General, something which, he noted, the Cyprus side welcomes and supports.

‘I truly believe […] that if there is political will, we can achieve this objective, and I am pleased because this is also something that the Secretary-General himself wants. We see him pursuing it through specific actions. We are here to support his efforts and let us hope that we will reach a positive outcome,’ he said.

Referring to his meeting with King Abdullah II, the President described it as a ‘very interesting discussion,’ particularly with regard to regional developments.

He noted that Cyprus and Jordan work closely together as two countries that maintain dialogue with all neighbouring states, with the aim of creating conditions of security, stability and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East.

President Christodoulides also referred to the joint Cyprus-Jordan initiative to establish a regional firefighting centre in Cyprus and thanked the King for Jordan’s presence in Cyprus.

He said the two sides also exchanged views on how Cyprus, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon could cooperate on specific projects, mainly in the field of connectivity, with the aim of also strengthening connectivity in the wider region.

Regional developments and Turkey’s role in the broader Middle East were also discussed during the meeting.

The President of the Republic noted that the meeting with the King of Jordan follows contacts with the President of Egypt and the visit of the President of Israel to Cyprus, while he added that the Foreign Minister will hold a series of meetings with Foreign Ministers from countries in the region.

The objective, he said, is to build on the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in order to create conditions for further cooperation towards the common goal of ‘stability, security and cooperation in the region.’

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 due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term nears its end, announced he would convene another meeting in broader format, after adequate preparation, but gave no timeline. He secured to that end the consensus of both sides and of the guarantor powers. María Angela Holguín, Guterres’ Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission’s Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.

The Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Athena Michaelidou, discussed on Monday, the further deepening of the strategic cooperation between Cyprus and Egypt on education, with the Ambassador of Egypt to Cyprus, Mohamed Zaazou.

The Minister noted, in a post on X that during their discussion, particular emphasis was placed on Higher and Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

“The very good cooperation between our countries is actively expanding into the fields of Education,” she said.

An EU funded photovoltaic system worth pound 1.6 million has begun to operate at the New Nicosia Wastewater Treatment Plant in Mia Milia, in Nicosia district, boosting the use of renewable energy at infrastructure serving both communities of the island.

The project has implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). According to a European Commission press release, the system was connected to the electricity grid in August after around ten months of construction. With a capacity of 840 kW (AC) / 1,018 kWp and approximately 1,860 solar panels, it is expected to generate around 1.6 million kWh of renewable electricity annually.

This will cover about 15-18% of the plant’s annual electricity consumption, reducing its reliance on the grid and lowering operating costs. Around 30% of the plant’s energy needs are already met through biogas generated on site.

According to the press release, the photovoltaic system is also expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 830 tonnes a year.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the completion of the project on Monday, Gulia Bertezzolo, Head of the European Commission’s Cyprus Settlement Support Unit, said the project was important both for the environment and for cooperation between the two communities.

She noted that the plant treats wastewater from both sides of Nicosia through shared infrastructure, describing the project as an example of long-standing practical cooperation.

Jakhongir Khaydarov, Head of Office of UNDP in Cyprus, described the project as another milestone in the long history of cooperation between the two communities, saying that collaboration on shared challenges can help build trust and bring communities closer together.

President of the Nicosia District Local Government Organisation Constantinos Yiorkadjis described it as the first bicommunal solar power plant and ‘a practical example of how cooperation between the two communities can contribute to a greener, more sustainable future for the whole island’.

Representing the Turkish Cypriot side, Mehmet Harmanci, said Mia Milia had long been an area of cooperation between the two communities. He also said work was under way with the EU and UNDP on delivering treated water to the government-controlled areas.

The New Nicosia Wastewater Treatment Plant serves much of Nicosia on both sides of the Green Line and has for years operated as shared infrastructure between the two communities, the press release noted.

A decrease in the number of commercial flights was recorded in Cyprus during the three summer months of 2026 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, according to data published by Eurostat on Monday.

More specifically, in August 2026 the number of commercial flights in Cyprus fell by 3.0% year on year, while in June and July a decrease of 2.4% was recorded compared with the corresponding months of 2025.

According to Eurostat, Cyprus was among the eight EU Member States where a decline in commercial flights was recorded in August. The largest annual decrease was observed in Austria, at 4.7%, while Germany followed Cyprus with a decline of 2.4%.

By contrast, in 19 EU countries the number of commercial flights increased in August compared with the same month of 2025. The largest increases were recorded in Slovakia, at 37.0%, Malta, at 12.4%, and Estonia, at 8.3%.

The government remains firmly committed to the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus issue and to the goal of reunifying the island, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Monday, as he represented President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, at a memorial event in Paphos.

‘The Cyprus problem remains our primary national priority,’ Ioannou said, stressing that the government’s vision is ‘its solution, the liberation and reunification of our homeland.’

He said the Republic of Cyprus was at ‘an important juncture’, seeking to create the conditions for the resumption of negotiations.

‘We do not overlook the difficulties or ignore the obstacles. We have, however, a clear direction and a firm goal: the reunification of our Cyprus,’ Ioannou said, conveying the President’s message.

He added that the aim was to transform Cyprus into ‘a peaceful, modern and European country, a pillar of stability in the turbulent Eastern Mediterranean’, where ‘all lawful residents will shape their common future together.’

Referring to the consequences of the 1974 Turkish invasion, Ioannou spoke of the ongoing occupation, violations of fundamental freedoms and rights, loss of life and the continuing concern over missing persons.

The event at the Archbishop Makarios III Lyceum in Paphos honoured Nikos Kapetanidis, a Pontic Greek journalist, publisher and intellectual who was executed in Amasya on September 21, 1921.

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.

The huge task at hand is to build products people can trust with regard to the cybersecurity perspective, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Nicodemos Damianou, said on Monday, addressing a conference in Nicosia entitled “Building CRA compliance through horizontal cybersecurity standards”.

Referring to the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), Damianou said that on 11 September the first obligations deriving from the Act came into force, adding that manufacturers must now report actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe incidents through the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) reporting arrangements under the Act. He also noted that the full set of essential requirements will apply to every product that includes digital elements on the European market.

Under the Commission’s standardisation request, the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC) and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) are developing harmonised standards that will support implementation of the CRA, such as secure design, vulnerability handling, the requirements that apply to every product irrespective of what that is, Damianou said. “These standards give manufacturers something enormously valuable: One clear, recognised route to compliance, instead of twenty-seven interpretations of the same article,” he emphasised.

“Cyprus held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union until June. Before it began, I told my fellow ministers in Brussels that cyber resilience would be one of our three digital priorities – because sovereignty and autonomy are not about isolation,” the Deputy Minister noted.

“We proceeded with the revision of the Cybersecurity Act – a stronger ENISA, simpler certification – and brought it before the Telecom Council in June. We welcomed Europe’s cybersecurity certification community here in Cyprus,” he pointed out, adding that “the Digital Omnibus, with its promise of a single entry point for incident reporting, is now in the hands of the Irish Presidency.'”

Damianou also stated that “Europe cannot afford to be merely a regulator of technologies developed elsewhere.”

Referring to the actions taken by Cyprus, Nicodemos Damianou said that “the Digital Security Authority is at the centre of our preparations for the CRA.” He further added that this summer, the Council of Ministers approved, for the first time, a unified complete and encompassing Cybersecurity Policy Framework for the government and the broader public sector.

Referring to Cypriot small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Deputy Minister pointed out that “most Cypriot manufacturers and software developers do not have a compliance department.”

“For them, a practical, accessible standard is the difference between compliance as a burden and compliance as a competitive advantage,” he noted.

He went on to say that ”the CRA is not only a cybersecurity measure. It is also a Single Market measure.” ”A company that builds secure products once should be able to place them confidently across the European market,” he emphasised.

“The huge task at hand is at the end of the day to build products people can trust from a cybersecurity perspective,” he concluded.

Cyprus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos met on Monday with Andorra’s Foreign Minister, Imma Tor Faus, on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York.

In a post on X, Kombos noted that their discussion focused on further strengthening bilateral relations and opportunities to further deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Moreover, the two Ministers discussed cooperation in regional and multilateral fora, as well as cooperation among Europe’s small states, he added.

According to Kombos, they also talked about ?EU-Andorra relations.

??New York ~ Pleasure meeting with Andorra’s Minister of Foreign Affairs @ImmaTorFaus on the margins of #UNGA81.

Minister of Defence, Vasilis Palmas, travels to Egypt on Monday to participate in the 6th trilateral meeting of the Defence Ministers of Cyprus, Greece, and Egypt, which will take place on Tuesday, September 22.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defence, Palmas will meet on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting, with the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil El-Sisi, and will hold separate bilateral meetings with his two counterparts, Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher and Nikos Dendias, during which issues of bilateral cooperation as well as regional matters of common interest will be discussed, with an emphasis on the latest security developments and the prospects for further strengthening their cooperation.

Cyprus participated in the SIAL Guangzhou 2026 international food and beverage exhibition in China, with the aim of strengthening trade relations with China, enhancing the outward orientation of Cyprus businesses and showcasing the quality of Cyprus products abroad.

According to an announcement issued by the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry on Monday, the Ministry, in cooperation with the Cyprus Trade Centre in Beijing, participated in the exhibition with an information booth.

The exhibition was held on September 3, 4 and 5 at the Poly World Trade Centre Expo in Guangzhou, bringing together more than 1,500 exhibitors from 50 countries and more than 66,000 professional visitors from over 50 countries and regions.

Among the visitors to the Cyprus booth was Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the announcement said.

Visitors had the opportunity to learn about cooperation opportunities with Cyprus and explore Cyprus products, including wine, commandaria, zivania and juices.

Cyprus juices were also among the products selected for special presentations at events organised by the exhibition organisers.

According to the Ministry, Cyprus’ participation in SIAL Guangzhou 2026 forms part of the country’s efforts to strengthen trade relations with China, enhance the outward orientation of Cyprus businesses and showcase the quality of Cyprus products abroad.

The latest developments in the Middle East, the further deepening of relations between Cyprus and Jordan, the strengthening of regional cooperation and of the relations between the European Union and Jordan, as well as developments in the Cyprus issue, were the focus of a meeting, on Monday, in New York between President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and King Abdullah II of Jordan, on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to a written statement by Government Spokesman, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the two leaders reviewed the latest developments in the Middle East and exchanged views on prospects for de-escalation and the strengthening of regional stability.

Particular reference was made to the support provided by the Republic of Cyprus, in the EU context, for the further strengthening of relations between the European Union and Jordan. President Christodoulides referred to the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership concluded in 2025, which he described as an important milestone in further deepening cooperation.

In the same context, reference was also made to the Republic of Cyprus’ invitation to Jordan to participate in the EU meeting with regional partners, held on the sidelines of the Informal European Council in Cyprus last April, at which Jordan was represented by Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II.

At the bilateral level, the two leaders reaffirmed their shared will to further deepen cooperation in areas of common interest and mutual benefit. The President of the Republic thanked King Abdullah for making available two firefighting aircraft and their personnel to support Cyprus during this year’s wildfire season.

President Christodoulides also referred to cooperation in the field of civil protection and, in particular, to the development of the Cyprus Regional Aerial Firefighting Station (CRAFS), as well as Jordan’s participation in the first CRAFS regional workshop in Paphos, with the aim of further developing it into a regional hub for cooperation, training and the exchange of expertise.

The two leaders also reviewed the trilateral cooperation between Cyprus, Greece and Jordan following the 5th Trilateral Summit, held last May in Amman. President Christodoulides underlined the shared objective of further strengthening the trilateral format through concrete actions and tangible results, according to Letymbiotis.

They also discussed prospects for utilising the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as a tool for strengthening regional connectivity and resilience, as well as the possibility of further integrating it into the trilateral cooperation framework.

Moreover, the President of the Republic briefed King Abdullah II on the latest developments in the Cyprus issue and the ongoing efforts to resume substantive negotiations from the point at which they were interrupted, on the basis of the agreed framework and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

President Christodoulides also expressed his appreciation for Jordan’s longstanding and consistent principled position on the Cyprus issue, the Spokesman noted.

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.