Category: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus is positioning itself as a trusted partner for space innovation, Earth observation and space-enabled services, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy of the Republic of Cyprus, Dr Nicodemos Damianou has told CNA.

The Minister, who signed recently in Paris on the sidelines of the Space Summit a Joint Declaration with France on cooperation in space activities, said that it creates a framework for closer collaboration in Earth observation, space science and satellite telecommunications.

Our ability to understand climate change, respond to natural disasters, strengthen connectivity and industrial capabilities, safeguard critical infrastructure and support innovation, as well as our defense capabilities and overall technological sovereignty and strategic autonomy, increasingly depend on space, he went on to say.

Moreover, he noted that the discussions and declarations adopted last week’s International Space Summit in Paris reflect this shared European understanding.

Over the last few years, he said, Cyprus has moved decisively from being a user of space services to becoming an emerging contributor to Europe’s space ecosystem.

This was achieved, the Deputy Minister noted, through active participation in European Space Programs, associate membership with the European Space Agency, strategic investments in satellite ground infrastructure, gateway facilities, and secure connectivity, and innovation-focused initiatives such as a Space Business Incubation Centre.

“Cyprus is positioning itself as a trusted partner for space innovation, Earth observation and space-enabled services, in a strategically important neighborhood” he stressed.

The Deputy Minister said that international cooperation is central to our approach – and to the very purpose of this Summit and noted that in this context Cyprus and France signed on the sidelines of the Space Summit a Joint Declaration on cooperation in space activities. This, he said, creates a framework for closer collaboration in Earth observation, space science and satellite telecommunications.

It also provides, he continued, a framework for sharing expertise and experience, encouraging participation in joint research and industry initiatives, and strengthening our coordination within ESA and other European and international fora.

“The longstanding relationship between Cyprus and France continues to deepen across strategic sectors. Building on the Strategic Partnership established by Presidents Christodoulides and Macron, this signing reflects our shared political will to work together for a stronger, more resilient and more autonomous Europe” the Deputy Minister concluded.

Department of Meteorology

Today’s weather and temperatures for Cyprus according to the Department of Meteorology

Date 19/09/2026

Station

TEMPERATURE (C) (FROM 20:00 PC of the previous one until the time of the show)

Highest

Lowest

Humidity at

1200 UTC

Nicosia (Athalassa)

33

21

39

Larnaka Airport

31

22

62

Limassol

30

20

53

Pafos Airport

30

22

61

Frenaros

32

22

58

Prodromos

21

13

78

Polis Pafos

29

21

67

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 20/09/2026 UNTIL 0600 21/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1015hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but locally increased cloud coverage will be present at times.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3, gradually Suthwest to West 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

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

South Coast

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

Afternoon Southwest to West 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3, locally Northwest to North Smooth to Slight

East Coast

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

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

Night West to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

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

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

Finance Minister Makis Keravnos highlighted the impact of elevated inflation on the cost of living and stressed the need for close collective monitoring of developments and readiness to act, during EU meetings in Dublin.

According to a Finance Ministry press release on Saturday, the meetings of the Eurogroup and the Informal EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) concluded in Dublin on Saturday.

On Friday, Ministers discussed recent economic developments and economic policy priorities, with the participation of the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

In his intervention, Keravnos highlighted the impact of elevated inflation on households’ cost of living, stressing the need for close collective monitoring of the situation and readiness to adopt appropriate policy measures to provide short-term support to economies and mitigate the negative effects.

At the same time, he said such measures should not undermine efforts to safeguard the sustainability of public finances over the medium term and strengthen economic resilience over the longer term.

In this context, Keravnos raised concerns over the impact of the conflict in the Middle East, which he said had increased uncertainty, creating downside risks to growth and upside risks to inflation.

He also questioned whether greater emphasis should be placed on a more active role for European diplomacy, making it more dynamic and preventive in efforts to de-escalate tensions and help bring conflicts to an end.

Keravnos said efforts at both national and EU level should also focus on the timely implementation of structural reforms and investment, particularly on advancing the Savings and Investments Union, digital finance, the promotion of innovation and the deepening of the Single Market.

According to the Ministry, the informal Ecofin meeting began with a working lunch, during which Ministers exchanged views on the competitiveness of the European banking sector, following a presentation of the European Commission’s recent report.

Keravnos acknowledged the progress made in strengthening the resilience of Europe’s banking sector and reiterated Cyprus’ longstanding support for completing the Banking Union.

He said ways should be explored to address the fragmentation of banking services and simplify procedures, with the ultimate aim of creating a genuinely European banking system.

At the same time, these efforts should be accompanied by credible European safeguards regarding banks’ capital and liquidity levels, particularly for host member states, he said.

The long-term objective, Keravnos added, should remain the establishment of a European Deposit Insurance Scheme.

On Friday afternoon, ministers met jointly with central bank governors to discuss the future of financial-sector innovation in Europe.

According to the press release, most Ministers agreed that innovation and the increasing use of technology in financial services could offer significant opportunities to reduce costs and speed up transactions without compromising transaction security.

Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors also agreed that greater use of technology in the financial sector carries risks that need to be identified, assessed and addressed through effective supervision that safeguards monetary sovereignty, financial stability and the protection of investors and consumers.

On Saturday morning, EU Finance Ministers discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on the labour market, the public sector, energy and the geopolitical environment.

Keravnos said artificial intelligence offered significant opportunities to boost productivity and economic growth.

The aim, he said, should be to facilitate the adoption of AI in order to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the European economy.

Turning to energy, Keravnos noted that data centres, which are essential for the expansion of AI technologies, require large amounts of energy as well as water for cooling.

Against this backdrop, he said finance ministers should ensure that the development of AI technologies does not create distortions elsewhere in the economy.

The ultimate goal, he concluded, should be to combine faster growth in green energy production with wider AI adoption, helping to strengthen competitiveness without undermining social cohesion in Europe.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (B)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1200 20/09/2026 UNTIL 1200 21/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1016hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather over the coastal areas will be mainly fine, but locally increased low cloud coverage will be present at times, mainly tonight and tomorrow morning.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually offshore Northwest to Northeast 3 Smooth to Slight

Morning Northwest to Northeast 3, soon Southwest to West 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Afternoon Southwest to West 3 to 4, locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, locally Slight

Night Southwest to Northwest 3, gradually Northwest to Northeast Smooth to Slight

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

East Coast

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

Night Southwest to Northwest 3 Smooth to Slight

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

North Coast

Afternoon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, at times locally 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, at times locally Slight

Night Southeast to Southwest 3 Smooth to Slight

Morning Southeast to Southwest 3, soon Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

The decline in Cypriot tourism was limited to 8% in the first seven months of the year, said Deputy Minister for Tourism Kostas Koumis, while noting that by the end of the year it is estimated that ‘we will be talking about a decline in the region of 5%’.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the new cycle routes in the Municipal District of Troulloi within the Municipality of Aradippou, Koumis said that the year had got off to the best possible start for the country’s tourism sector, as January and February were the best corresponding months in the history of Cypriot tourism.

‘In other words, we had the best January and the best February we have ever had,’ he said.

However, according to the Deputy Minister, the incident on 1 March changed the situation and ‘turned everything upside down’, referring to the date when a drone struck the UK base of Akrotiri in Cyprus.

As he noted, around 70% of the flight schedules operating in Cyprus were cancelled overnight indefinitely, with the result that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the government were called upon to manage a crisis which, as he noted, may have been unprecedented in recent decades.

In March and April, he added, the situation took a turn for the worse.

Koumis stated that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the government had placed particular emphasis on efforts to persuade airlines to maintain their flight schedules to and from Cyprus, as well as the country’s strategic partners, tour operators and organisers specialising in specific forms of tourism to maintain the holiday packages they offer for Cyprus.

‘In hindsight, and several months on, we can say that we were successful,’ he said.

As he explained, while during the first four months of the year the discussion centred on a decline of around 18%, for the first seven months of the year the decline has now been limited to 8% and is expected to be reduced even further.

‘Consequently, by the end of the year we will be talking about a decline of around 5%,’ said the Deputy Minister for Tourism, noting that such a situation can arise in any sector without anything out of the ordinary happening.

President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides will begin his contacts in New York on Sunday evening during which he will meet with the heads of the Greek diaspora organisations to discuss developments in the Cyprus issue.

The President is expected to address the UN General Assembly plenary on Wednesday, while he will hold a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin on Tuesday and with UNSG Antonio Guterres on Thursday.

On September 21, President Christodoulides he will have a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, while in the afternoon he will participate in a Summit co-hosted by the President of the European Council Antonio Costa and the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, on multilateralism, international law, peace and prosperity.

On Tuesday, September 22, he will attend the opening of the Plenary Session of the Summit, during which the UN Secretary General will present his Progress Report. In the afternoon the President of the Republic will have a meeting with President of the Base Assets and Emerging Countries Department of Chevron, Javier la Rosa.

In the afternoon on the same day, the President of the Republic will meet with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the Cyprus Problem, Maria Angela Holguin.

On Wednesday, September 23, the President of the Republic will address the Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly.

Later on, he will participate in the High-Level Meeting convened by the UN Secretary-General on Climate Change, during which he will make an intervention. In the afternoon, he will have a meeting with Vice President of ExxonMobil, John Ardill.

On September 24, the President of the Republic will have a working breakfast organized by the Antenna Group and the Atlantic Council, on the issue ‘Consolidating EU-Gulf Cooperation for Regional Security and Prosperity’.

On the same day at 10.55am (New York time), President Christodoulides will have a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

The President of the Republic will then host a luncheon for the Permanent Representatives of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council.

On September 25, President Christodoulides will meet with Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Han Zheng, and then with representatives of the AJC.

Before departing from New York, he will attend a dinner organised in his honour by Cypriot diaspora organizations.

President Christodoulides, who will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, and Greek Cypriot negotiator for the Cyprus issue, Menelaos Menelaou, will return to Cyprus on the evening of September 26.

CYPRUS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

FORECAST FOR THE SEA AREA OF CYPRUS (A)

FOR THE PERIOD FROM 0600 19/09/2026 UNTIL 0600 20/09/2026

Area covered is 8 kilometers seawards.

Winds are in BEAUFORT scale. Times are local times.

Atmospheric pressure at the time of issue: 1013hPa (hectopascal)

Weak low pressure is affecting the area. The weather will be mainly fine, but locally increased cloud coverage will be present at times.

Visibility: Good

Sea surface temperature: 28°C

Warnings: NIL

AREA PERIOD WIND STATE OF SEA

West Coast

Morning Southwest to Northwest 3 to 4, locally at first Northwest to North 3 Slight

Afternoon West to Northwest 3 to 4, locally 4 Slight

Night West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually Northwest to North Slight, gradually Smooth to Slight

South Coast

Morning Variable 3, gradually Southeast to Southwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

Afternoon South to Southwest 4, gradually locally Southwest to West 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight, gradually locally Slight

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

East Coast

Morning West to Northwest 3 to 4, gradually Southeast to Southwest Smooth to Slight

Afternoon South to Southwest 4, gradually locally Southwest 4 to 5 Smooth to Slight

Night Southwest 4, soon West to Northwest 3 to 4 Smooth to Slight

North Coast

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

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

Night Southwest to West 3 to 4, gradually Southeast to Southwest 3 Slight, gradually Smooth to Slight

Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos is traveling to New York, where he will accompany President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides in his contacts within the framework of the High-Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release, during his stay in New York, the Minister will hold a series of bilateral and trilateral contacts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. These contacts have been arranged on the basis of targeted planning, the press release says.

The Minister will attend the High-Level Meeting of Small States of Europe, which is co-organised by the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Andorra, in the context of reviving the effort to strengthen coordination and cooperation between small European states.

Furthermore, the Minister will participate in an Informal Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union, in the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution for the Palestinian Issue, as well as in the High-Level Meeting on Sea Level Rise.

The High-Level Week is one of the most important meeting points of international diplomacy every year. Their simultaneous presence offers an important opportunity for intensive contacts, exchange of views and discussion of international, regional and bilateral issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concludes.

President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, is traveling to New York from Athens on Saturday, where he will address the 81st United Nations General Assembly. During his stay in New York, he will hold a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, his Personal Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, as well as heads of state or government and heads of organizations and multinational companies.

As has been announced by the Presidency says that the President will also hold contacts with representatives of the Cypriot diaspora.

President Christodoulides will begin his contacts on Sunday evening, September 20, with a meeting with the heads of the Greek diaspora organizations, during which he will inform them about the developments as regards the Cyprus issue.

On the next day, September 21, he will have a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, while in the afternoon he will participate in a Summit co-organized by the President of the European Council Antonio Costa and the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney, on multilateralism, international law, peace and prosperity.

On September 22, President Christodoulides will attend the opening of the Plenary Session of the Summit, during which the UN Secretary-General will present his Progress Report. On the same day, the President of the Republic will have a meeting with President of Chevron’s Base Assets and Emerging Countries Department, Javier la Rosa.

He will then hold a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin.

On September 23, the President of the Republic will address the Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly.

Later, he will participate in the proceedings of the High-Level Meeting convened by the UN Secretary-General on Climate Change, during which he will make an intervention.

In the afternoon, he will have a meeting with Vice President of ExxonMobil, John Ardill.

On September 24, the President of the Republic will attend a working breakfast organized by the Antenna Group and the Atlantic Council, entitled ‘Consolidating EU-Gulf Cooperation for Regional Security and Prosperity’.

Later on, President Christodoulides will have a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the Secretary-General’s Office, in the UN building.

He will then 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 of the Republic will meet with Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Han Zheng, and then with representatives of the AJC.

Before departing from New York, President Christodoulides will attend a dinner organized in his honor by organisations of the Cypriot diaspora.

President Christodoulides, who will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, and Greek Cypriot Negotiator, Menelaos Menelaou, will 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 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.