Day: March 2, 2024

President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides congratulated his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb, who assumed office on Friday. In a post on his account on X platform, President Christodoulides congratulated Stubb, adding that he looks forward to working with him ''to strengthen the rules-based international system, delivering a peaceful, secure and more prosperous future for the peoples of our countries, Europe, and beyond.'' Source: Cyprus News Agency

The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has expressed his support to the strengthening of the relations of his country with Cyprus. The High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to the Republic of Ghana, based in Cairo, Poly Ioannou, presented her credentials to the President of Ghana, during an official ceremony held on Friday, February 23, at Jubilee House Presidential Palace, in the capital Accra. As stated in a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ioannou conveyed to the President of Ghana the warm greetings of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, together with his wishes for peace and prosperity for the people of Ghana, and expressed her commitment to work with a view to strengthen the relations between the two countries in various fields, as well as their cooperation, both at the bilateral level and within the framework of the European Union. Welcoming the new High Commissioner of Cyprus, President Akufo-Addo congratulated her on assuming her duties , wishing her every success in her work and stressing that she will have his own and the government's unwavering support to strengthen relations between the two countries. The President of Ghana asked Ioannou to convey to the President of the Republic his heartfelt greetings and wishes for the progress and prosperity of the Cypriot people, the press release concluded. Source: Cyprus News Agency

Cyprus' Interior Minister, Constantinos Ioannou, has expressed the government's determination to improve even more the positive outlook as regards immigration, stating that Cyprus could be an example for the rest of Europe in the management of the problem. Addressing on Friday a conference on immigration in Limassol organised by the Democratic Party (DIKO), the Minister presented the government's immigration policies, noting that the current administration was called upon to manage 'an extremely difficult situation' since, as he said, the country's reception and hospitality system was under 'suffocating pressure' with efforts focusing primarily on the management of the disproportionate number of immigrants. Ioannou noted that as a result of the actions taken in the past year by the current administration, a 37% decrease in arrivals has been recorded, as well as almost 50% less asylum applications. In addition, an 80%, 'steep decrease' has been recorded, especially among new asylum seekers from African coun tries, 'which shows that the problem with mass arrivals from Africa has largely been resolved', he said. Among other things, the Minister said that in 2023, a 66% increase in departures was recorded, compared to 2022, noting that this trend was also recorded in January 2024, as 782 people arrived in the country and 1,081 left. The Minister also said that, in contrast to Cyprus, 'where the number of asylum applications decreased significantly, in the rest of the European countries of the Eastern Mediterranean there was a significant increase', noting that Cyprus, 'having implemented targeted measures', ranks first in the EU in terms of the percentage of departures on arrivals and fourth in numbers of returns. The large number of Syrian nationals who arrive to Cyprus through sea routes from Syria or Lebanon, was 'a particular problem', he said, noting that the government 'urgently' raises the issue with the EU competent bodies, calling for more action. He said that the government has been reassured of the com mitment for the creation of a coordination team, under the umbrella of Europol with the participation of the prosecuting authorities of Cyprus and Lebanon, in order to strengthen the effort to coordinate the two services through the expertise of the organisation. He also said that the Cypriot government has been promoting an initiative since last summer with the aim of discussing and reassessing at EU level, the status of Syria on the basis of the real data prevailing in the country at the given time and following the assessment made by the European Union Agency for Asylum, according to which areas of Syria are considered safe. Ioannou also referred to the importance attached to immigrants' integration and social inclusion which is why, he noted, the government is working on an integrated policy which includes 50 actions concerning housing, employment, improving skills, education and health. Reiterating 'the determination of the Christodoulides' government to further improve the positive image it has achie ved in recent months', he expressed the conviction that the newly established Deputy Ministry of Immigration is expected to contribute to this. Source: Cyprus News Agency

Saudi Arabia recognizes all universities operating in the Republic of Cyprus, as long as they are recognized by the Republic, expressing. interest in collaborations within European programmes with third countries. As stated in a letter sent from the Ministry of Education to the rectors of Cypriot universities, during a meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus in Riyadh, the Deputy Minister of Education of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Alsudairy, informed the Cypriot side that Saudi Arabia now recognizes all the universities operating in the Republic of Cyprus, as long as they are recognized by the Republic of Cyprus. In addition, it is noted that in the context of the meeting, there was a strong interest in collaborations within the framework of European programmes with third countries. Source: Cyprus News Agency

ISTANBUL: Trkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the Foreign Ministry said. Fidan met Xavier Bettel, Ignazio Cassis, Jeenbek Kulubaev, his counterparts from Luxembourg, Switzerland and Kyrgyzstan, respectively. He also held talks with secretary general of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Helga M. Schmid. Meetings were also held with Uzbek counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov, Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic, North Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani and Malaysian Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir. Fidan also met Namibia's International Relations and Cooperation Minister Peya Mushelenga, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, and Kosovo Diaspora's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz. Fidan, according to diplomatic sources, told Maliki that Ankara's strong support for Palestine will continue. He stressed the need for Israel to cease its attacks and declare a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, and said that no alternative other than a two-state solution to the conflict was acceptable. The minister also highlighted the importance of delivering humanitarian aid to the enclave without interruption. Later in the day, Fidan engaged in conversations with his Moldovan counterpart Mihai Popsoi, Montenegron counterpart Filip Ivanovic, top Senegalese diplomat Ismaila Madior Fall and Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traore. Source: Anadolu Agency