President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides departs on Tuesday afternoon for Antalya, Turkey, via Rhodes, heading a Cypriot diplomatic delegation to attend the Leaders’ Summit of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), taking place on November 11 and 12.
COP31 opened on Monday, November 9, and will run until November 20, focusing on strengthening global efforts to tackle climate change, implementing the Paris Agreement and adapting to the impacts of the climate crisis.
During the Leaders’ Summit, heads of state and government are expected to present their countries’ positions and commitments on climate action. The agenda also includes discussions on the energy transition, climate finance and strengthening resilience to the impacts of climate change.
President Christodoulides’ participation in the conference carries particular diplomatic significance, as, according to a government source who had previously spoken to CNA, the Republic of Cyprus secured an official invitation following sustained and coordinated diplomatic efforts by Nicosia, with the active involvement of EU institutions and member states.
The source also highlighted the importance of coordinated EU pressure, stressing the bloc’s common position that the full and equal participation of an EU member state in international processes must not be called into question or subjected to unilateral restrictions.
The issue arose after the weekly “Kathimerini tis Kiriakis” reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent personal invitations to the leaders of the other 26 EU member states for the COP31 Leaders’ Summit, in what the newspaper described as an attempt to exclude the Republic of Cyprus and its President.