Day: March 2, 2024

The climate crisis has no borders, Cyprus' Agriculture Minister, Maria Panayiotou, said at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), noting that a safe and healthy environment concerns everyone, while immediate action is required. The Minister participated in the 6th Session of the UNEA, which took place in Nairobi, Kenya between February 26 and March 1. In her speech, according to a statement by the PIO, the Minister highlighted the important work of the UNEA and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to collectively address environmental threats, climate change, biodiversity and pollution, taking into account the importance of effectively addressing all the environmental challenges facing the planet. Panayiotou noted that the climate crisis has no 'borders' and that the right to live in a safe and healthy environment concerned everyone and this required immediate action. She also referred to the environmental issues facing Cyprus such as reduced rainfall and drought, desertification and threats to bi odiversity, and stressed that Cyprus was in favour of collective measures to address them. 'Recognising the imperative need for sustainable multilateral action based on our obligations to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030', Panayiotou emphasised Cyprus' support as an EU member state to the EU's agreed positions, as well as Nicosia's determination to achieve the top environmental goals at a global level, 'priorities that are also defined in the governance programme'. The press release noted that during the Summit a significant number of international decisions concerning 15 topics, as well as two declarations, were adopted. Specifically, these concern important environmental issues such as water management, air pollution, chemical and waste management, combating desertification and soil degradation, and protection of the oceans. An important UNEA-6 Ministerial Declaration was also adopted through which governments, multilateral environmental agreements and international organi sations are called upon to strengthen their cooperation with the UNEA, to effectively and inclusively implement its actions and commitments, the press release noted. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Trkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Somalian counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday discussed Israeli 'massacres' in the Palestinian territory, humanitarian aid, and bilateral relations. 'The meeting addressed Trkiye-Somalia relations, Israel's massacres in the Palestinian territory as well as humanitarian aid, the fight against terrorism and regional and global issues,' the country's Communications Directorate said on X. The two presidents met on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. In the meeting, President Erdogan affirmed Ankara's ongoing commitment to supporting Somalia across various domains, with a specific emphasis on defense. In addition, Erdogan expressed Trkiye's readiness to engage in any mediation efforts to address the tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia. 'Stating that Israel's reckless attacks on Palestinian land must end, President Erdogan added that the foundation of lasting peace must be built on the basis of the establishment of an independent Pa lestinian state, based on the 1967 borders,' the directorate added. Trkiye's National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, the country's National Intelligence Organization's head Ibrahim Kalin and the president's chief advisor Akif Cagatay Kilic also attended the meeting. Source: Anadolu Agency

The Cyprus government confirms the interest of the US and other countries in providing humanitarian aid to Gaza through Cyprus, its Spokesman ?onstantinos Letymbiotis, told CNA on Saturday, noting that the situation was constantly being evaluated. Asked by CNA to comment on the statements by a US official that the US administration was considering the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea through Cyprus, Letymbiotis confirmed the interest of the US and other countries in providing humanitarian aid to Gaza via Cyprus. 'It is well-known', he said, that the Republic of Cyprus has been in contact with the US and other countries regarding the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza through Cyprus. He added that the usefulness of such a development and planning was recognized, however the situation on the ground was constantly being evaluated. US President, Joe Biden, has announced on 'X' that, in the coming days, the United States would carry out airdrops of aid to Gaza, 'redouble our efforts to open a mari time corridor, and expand deliveries by land'. The Republic of Cyprus launched a few months ago the 'Amalthea' initiative aiming at the delivery of humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza, though a maritime corridor via Cyprus. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANTALYA: Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan Saturday stressed the importance of women's role in achieving lasting and sustainable peace worldwide. Addressing the spouses of leaders and participants at the Women, Peace, and Security Session of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Erdogan said: 'We must not forget that lasting and sustainable peace arises from a process where no one is left behind.' 'The success of a peace process cannot be expected as long as women, who are a fundamental and transformative part of society, are not included," she noted. "We will never bow to those who try to reduce the hard-won international law and justice system, achieved at great cost, to a mere written statement," Erdogan stressed. She underlined that world nations are currently facing crises of such magnitude that no single country can tackle them alone. 'The foundations of the values and institutions that hold us together as humanity have never been deeply shaken in recent history," Erdogan said. "We are holding this meeting not in a peaceful environment, but sadly, under the dark shadow of war," Erdogan added, referring to the ongoing war in Gaza. "In an era where polarization and racism are on the rise, intolerance and greed fuel hatred, maintaining peace and order is becoming increasingly difficult," she added. Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people. At least 30,320 Palestinians have since been killed and 71,533 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation. The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN. Israel is accused of genocide at the International Cou rt of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. Source: Anadolu Agency

ISTANBUL: The Hamas delegation on Saturday discussed with Russia's special envoy for the Middle East and North Africa, Mikhail Bogdanov, the latest developments in the Gaza Strip. 'On the sidelines of the Palestinian meetings held in Moscow, the delegation of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas met with the Special Envoy of the Russian President to the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Mikhail Bogdanov, at the headquarters of the Russian Foreign Ministry this Friday evening,' the Palestinian group said in a statement. The delegation from the resistance movement expressed gratitude to the Russian Federation for "their position in support of the Palestinian people, and for hosting the Palestinian meetings." It also reviewed 'the course of the meetings and the positive results they achieved in uniting the Palestinian ranks, responding to aggression, providing relief to our people, supporting the valiant Palestinian resistance, and emphasizing the continuity of the meetings.' Representati ves from Palestinian political forces have gathered in the Russian capital, and talks are expected to last until the evening. Israel started its war on Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border incursion by Hamas. It has since killed more than 30,300 Palestinians and pushed the territory to the brink of famine. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Fatah, the party that dominates the Palestinian Authority, which in part administers the occupied West Bank, are the two largest Palestinian factions. Some states have floated the idea of a technocratic government for Palestinians, a step in efforts to make progress towards talks on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But it is unclear how things could move forward until Hamas and Fatah work out their long-running differences. It has also been suggested that the Palestinian Authority govern Gaza after the war ends. Source: Anadolu Agency

The Cypriot state's priorities are among projects that the European Investment Bank is interested in financing, a press release issued by the Transport, Communications and Works Ministry said following a meeting earlier this week of Minister Alexis Vafeades, with the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Kyriakos Kakouris, in the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, as well as a delegation of the European Investment Bank. According to the press release, the two sides reaffirmed the long-standing excellent cooperation between the Ministry and the EIB, that has resulted in good results and in the implementation of important projects aiming at a sustainable social and economic development. As it is noted "it was acknowledged that the state's priorities are included in the projects that the European Investment Bank is interested in financing, something which shows that Cyprus is fully in line with Europe". Taking into account the special character of Cyprus, as an island member state of the European Union (EU), far from mainland Europe, where the movement of people and goods inland are carried out by road network, combined with the absence of the possibility of operating a railway network, the complete dependence on road transport was acknowledged, as well as the necessity of operating a modern, efficient and safe road network. It is noted that by recognizing the particularities of an island-state, the European Investment Bank sees positively the continuation of financing roads and ports. Building projects, and especially projects for the energy upgrading of buildings, and even governmental ones, also fall under the projects that the European Investment Bank is interested in including in its financing. Road safety was also identified as an important action that the European Investment Bank is interested in considering for funding. Such projects will contribute to the further reduction of road collisions are potentially eligible, the press release said. Vafeades emphasised that the Republic of Cyprus will remain a loyal partner of the European Investment Bank in the coming years, proposing high-value projects with European added value and fully aligned with national and European goals for climate emissions. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ANTALYA: Foreign leaders and ministers attending the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2024 in Trkiye examined The Evidence, a book published by Anadolu that documents Israel's war on the Gaza Strip. The publication by the Turkish news agency puts together visual evidence of Israeli actions in the besieged Palestinian enclave since Oct. 7, 2023, including the use of white phosphorus. The book was also submitted to the International Court of Justice, where South Africa filed a case accusing Israel of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Among those reviewing the publication included Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar, King Mswati III of Eswatini, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Muhammad Hasan Mahmud, Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zeljka Cvijanovic, and Somalia's acting Foreign and International Cooperation Minister Ali Omar Balad. Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States K ubanychbek Omuraliev, Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu, Sudan's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Al-Sadiq Ali, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto also took out time during the event to look through the photobook. Others who examined the hardback included Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Bahrain's Foreign Ministry Sheikh Abdulla Ahmed Bin Hamad al-Khalifa, Uganda's Foreign Minister Jeje Odongo, Secretary-General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Lazar Comanescu, Diplomatic Adviser to the President of UAE Anwar Gargash, and Venezuela's Deputy Foreign Minister Coromoto Godoy Calderon. TRNC President Tatar said that despite living in the digital age, the possibility of some photos and documents being lost persists, pointing out that The Evidence can serve both as proof in court of law, and as a means to bring the extent of the atrocity in Gaza to wider audiences. Israel has killed more than 3 0,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since the October Hamas attacks, which killed about 1,200 people. The military campaign has also led to mass displacement, destruction and conditions for a famine. Source: Anadolu Agency

Drastic changes are needed in the way citizens live, the newly appointed Environment Commissioner Antonia Theodosiou has told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), referring to the green transition, noting that although brave efforts are being made by the competent services, Cyprus but also other countries are too late. At the same time, she said that the European Commission's Green Transition and Green Deal programme is about all areas of life and it is not just about 'planting trees', but concerns our actions on a daily basis. She added that Cyprus should not be at the point where it is today with a low participation in renewable energy sources, nor should it have such a high percentage of pollutants. In her interview with CNA, referring to the role of the Commissioner, Theodosiou said her post undertakes issues of improving legislation, submitting proposals to Ministers and the Council of Ministers, following instructions from ministries or voluntarily. At the same time, the Commissioner said she has the power to act. "Part of the function of the Office is to conduct information campaigns, raise awareness of issues and submit opinions," she noted. Asked to assess the situation in Cyprus regarding actions to protect the environment and raise awareness of the effects of climate change, Theodosiou said that she divides environmental protection into several areas. "The main area of my priority is the protection and management of NATURA 2000 sites. Cyprus, as required, submitted areas that meet certain requirements of the European acquis and were included in the Natura 2000 network. Unfortunately, these areas have so far been poorly managed while management plans are in place,@ she added. According to Theodosiou, what is missing is how we manage the assessment of the landscape and ultimately the landscape itself which is very valuable because it is what holds the soils together and Cyprus is threatened by desertification, and simple constructions, known as structures, are the ones that held and hold back to a very sm all extent even today the rural landscape. She said the existing measures regarding these structures are insufficient, 'while the role that structures can play in landscape retention and combating desertification, but also in enhancing biodiversity, is enormous". Theodosiou also said that she wants to undertake a campaign "because we pay fines for pollutants. And our production is mainly from fossil fuels, but there needs to be a sharp increase in the energy mix and the introduction of renewables. Another way to balance these pollutants and pay fewer fines is to increase forest area and enhance biodiversity because these areas absorb and store carbon dioxide," she added. Asked if she has both the influence and the power to be able to promote issues, she said that "we do not have an executive role. It is, as you said, advisory, but with many possible intervention tools. " To a question what measures can be taken to consolidate the message that everything we do has an impact on the environment, Theodosiou s aid that "due to the climate crisis which we are going through and as we are all living the effects of extreme weather events, rising temperatures, I think that at all levels we have all realized that our own human actions and not some universe, have affected the planet and affected not only the aesthetics of nature, but also our very lives and health". That is why the European Commission "has the Green Transition and the Green Deal programme and when one carries it out they can see that it concerns all areas of our lives, and it is not just about 'planting trees', but it is about our actions on a daily basis". Invited to comment on the debate on the issue of waste, Theodosiou said "we are the ones producing waste. So, we have to manage it. And the European Commission is punishing us for pollutants, because it seems that at the level of countries, not only Cyprus, we are not so aware of our responsibilities." "In other words, Cyprus should not be at the stage of such a small share of renewable energy sourc es in its energy potential today. We should not have had such a high percentage of pollutants in the transport sector. Brave efforts are being made now by the services but I believe that not only Cyprus but also other countries are too late,' she added. Asked if there is hope, Theodosiou replied that "there is hope of containing the temperature, but overturning the data is very difficult. And we must understand that we cannot yield results by making some small changes and having the same lifestyle. Drastic changes need to be made to what we are used to', she added. To a remark that this requires proper education, Theodosiou replied in the affirmative, adding that "it always makes a tremendous impression on me every time I meet children, whether elementary, middle school, high school, private or public schools, how much they know'. She praised the work done by the environmental education centers of the Ministry of Education, because "they are doing a tremendous job" and told CNA that she intends to make prop osals to the Ministry of Education in the coming days "because we know that education is the cornerstone for tomorrow's citizens'. In her interview, Theodosiou also referred to the issue of architecture and the materials used. "Before I was appointed Commissioner, I had already made some efforts to introduce natural building courses in technical schools. It is an area that we need to develop," she said. "Cyprus was born of mudbrick, stone and wood. And today the materials we use are completely different. In countries such as Switzerland or Germany where I studied already at the time of my studies they were dealing with standards for mudbricks, that the energy to manufacture, produce and their carbon footprint is zero," she said. She also noted that the model of climate-neutral communities, a "model with important specifications from the European Commission, is already amongst her priorities and she has contacted some communities that need to develop an action plan and practices so that their carbon footpri nt is carbon neutral by 2050 but to be reduced by 55% by 2035." She described the communities as "very, very receptive". As far as municipalities are concerned, she said that although some programmes are running, they are incomplete and for this reason she needs to undertake serious campaigns and partnerships with local communities. Already she is in communication with Kato Pyrgos in the Paphos district to make Tilliria community green and climate neutral. There are also initiatives from other communities such as Larnaca and Paphos where they are preparing programmes to gradually become climate neutral, she noted. Regarding agricultural production, she said that it should be done in a way that it is friendly to the environment without the farmers suffering damages. "We need to find the ideal recipe", Theodosiou said adding that "we need to turn more towards organic farming, water saving. Agro-livestock farming is very important for every country. This was very evident during the intense COVID-19 period but we also see it now with the conflict in Ukraine, how much dependent we are on production in other countries and we need to become more autonomous in Cyprus,' she noted. At this point, Theodosiou said that we are focused too much on tourism, that is not sustainable in Cyprus. There are serious efforts by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for nature tourism but we realize that the large numbers of tourists do not help much in the sector's sustainability, she noted. Asked if Cyprus will be able to reach the Fit for 55 targets by 2030, she replied: "I think it will be difficult to reach them. We will again need to ask for derogations. But that doesn't mean we won't try. And it's not just Cyprus at this point". For Akamas, an area for which she was for five years Director of the Management Project for Sustainable Development of Communities, she said that "what we agreed with the communities" is that this can only bring benefit to the villages located around these areas. There is, of course, the issue of propertie s. However, it is good to note the properties that have been included in the Natura 2000 network what potential they had before for development, she noted. Because, she added, "we have to move away from the notion that 'where I have land I build' and this is an issue that I think has been consolidated through actions of the Ministry of the Interior, not only for Natura protection areas but also throughout Cyprus there has been a lot of discussion about individual housing. " In Akamas, she said, there are more than 1 million visitors to the areas under protection from studies carried out by companies and these tourists do not visit the villages. "What is important is to develop synergies between villages and areas under protection so that on the one hand villages have income from visitors and visitors are not only foreign tourists, they are also Cypriots, domestic tourism and on the other hand the villagers develop businesses that belong to them and are able to manage them", she added. Theodosiou reminded that about 50% of the Akamas peninsula is an administrative area of 10 villages, it is a protected area and 75% of it is state forest land. This state forest land has been declared a national forest park, while the remaining 25% is privately owned but is still Natura. Asked what she can do for Akamas as the Environment Commissioner, she said that she participates in the committees of departments or with the participation of environmental organizations 'and we are examining how to improve the works that have been executed and frozen regarding the roads in the Akamas National Forest Park'. At the same time, she said, they are considering to revise the projects that were planned to continue after the first phase of the roads construction, something that she considers "very important". She will also pursue the income that the state will have from the movement within Akamas and how these funds can be allocated to the maintenance or creation of public benefit projects in the villages. She said that projects tha t have been completed are The Akamas Rural Life and Traditions - Crafts Training Centre in Droushia, which boasts thousands of visitors annually and has received two awards, the Center of Terrestrial Flora, Fauna and Fauna in Kathikas, and the Center of Geology and Paleontology in Arodes. Theodosiou said that the gorges in Androlikou, part of which is a quarry zone, have paleontological remains of fossils. The beds of most gorges and banks are in the Natura 2000 network, she said, "but the highlands between the gorges are still threatened today by the creation of new quarry zones." Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler on Saturday met with the head of the Kurdish Regional Government, Nechirvan Barzani, in Antalya, the ministry said on X. Barzani is in Trkiye for the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The ministry shared no further information regarding the meeting. Trkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on late Friday had received Nechirvan Barzani on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, said Trkiye's Communications Directorate. Erdogan and Barzani had discussed regional and global issues, the Development Road Project as well as the fight against terrorism. Highlighting the significance of the road project for the neighboring nations, especially Iraq and Trkiye, President Erdogan had affirmed Ankara's unwavering dedication to backing the initiative, the directorate added. "President Erdogan had stated the significance of unitedly fighting against the terrorist organization PKK/PYD/YPG to achieve peace and stability," it concluded. Source: Anadolu Agency