On the evening of September 21, in New York, the President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, participated in the High-Level Meeting titled “Partners for Multilateralism, International Law, Peace, and Prosperity” (Partners for Multilateralism, International Law, Peace, and Prosperity), which was convened by the President of the European Council, Mr. António Costa, the President of Kenya, Mr. William Ruto, and the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Mark Carney.
During his remarks at the Summit, the President of the Republic, among other things, welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that in a period of intense geopolitical uncertainty and multiple international challenges, multilateralism, the United Nations Charter, and international law are more necessary than ever to safeguard international peace and security.
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As he emphasized, for the Republic of Cyprus, respect for international law is not an abstract or theoretical principle, noting that Cyprus, which continues to suffer the consequences of the Turkish invasion and the ongoing military occupation, knows from its own experience the importance of the consistent and universal application of the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and respect for fundamental human rights.
President Christodoulides further emphasized that an effective multilateral system is of particular importance to small and medium-sized states, as it shapes an international environment in which a state’s standing and security are not determined by its size or power, but are based on common rules and collective responsibility.
Referring to the role of the Republic of Cyprus, he noted that its geographical and political position, as a member state of the European Union at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, allows it to serve as a bridge for cooperation, dialogue, and trust between different regions and perspectives.
In this context, she referred to initiatives by the Republic of Cyprus to provide humanitarian aid, addressing the impacts of climate change, and the safe evacuation of third-country nationals from crisis-affected areas, as concrete examples of how multilateral cooperation can be translated into concrete action.
Finally, the President of the Republic emphasized that the multilateral system must evolve and adapt to contemporary challenges in order to remain effective, representative, and credible, noting that the credibility of the international system ultimately depends on the consistent application of the rules and principles that the international community itself has agreed to uphold.
