Remarks by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, at the joint press conference following the MED9 Summit in the Republic of Slovenia

From:

Presidency of the Republic

20/10/25 19:18 | Press release | President of the Republic / Presidency, Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026

The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, participated today in the MED9 Summit in the Republic of Slovenia.

At a joint press conference of the leaders of the participant states, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, in response to a question about the priorities of the forthcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), said the following:

“Let me start by thanking the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Mr Robert Golob, for his hospitality, and for Slovenia’s able leadership as the MED9 Presidency this year.

Our meeting today, and our overall coordination as Mediterranean states of the EU, is extremely valuable for my country, since in just 71 days Cyprus will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU.

And as the member state of the Union at the southeastern frontier, we are preparing to take this responsibility with full awareness of the challenges ahead and with a clear commitment to advance unity, reinforce our collective resilience, and elevate the Mediterranean’s voice in the European debate.

It is undeniable that the security and prosperity of the Mediterranean are directly linked to those of the EU. An example of this is the situation in the Middle East — which is, of course, part of the Mediterranean — and which directly affects developments in Europe in terms of security, migration, energy prices, and so on.

Last week in Egypt, we witnessed the affording of an opportunity for peace. And we really hope – and we do not underestimate the challenges ahead of us – that it will lead to a new era of stability and prosperity, not only for Palestinians and Israelis, but also for the wider region.

Cyprus, as the member state of the EU closest to Gaza, stands ready — as we have done in the past — to contribute in a number of ways, which were also discussed today with my colleagues.

Coming back to the Presidency and in line with what I just mentioned about the importance of the Mediterranean region for Europe, Cyprus will place the implementation of the new Pact for the Mediterranean at the core of its priorities. This Pact marks a historic, positive step forward. It is an opportunity to reinvigorate our relations with the Southern Neighbourhood through tangible projects that promote connectivity, sustainability, and regional stability. In the same context, we also plan to host, in Cyprus, a meeting of Heads of State or Government in the framework of an informal European Council, on 23 and 24 April, bringing together the EU member states, the EU institutions, and the leaders of the countries of our region.

During the Presidency, we will also prioritise key issues that are high on the EU agenda and, at the same time, are of particular interest to Mediterranean countries. One such example is migration. As you know, during our Presidency we will host a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum. At the same time, we must invest in partnerships with countries of origin and transit – addressing the root causes, combating smuggling networks, and opening legal pathways that meet labour-market needs.

At the same time, preparing for and responding to climate change and natural disasters will be another area of focus during our Presidency. Our region is affected by wildfires almost every year, as well as by desertification. And in this framework, we very much welcome the announcement by the President of the Commission for the establishment of a European Regional Firefighting Hub, based in Cyprus, to also serve regional partners, as a concrete example of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. We need tangible results. We need to move from declarations to action. And we need to enhance the footprint of the EU in the Mediterranean and the greater Middle East”.

(RM/LY/IA)