The President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, emphasized today the great importance of further strengthening relations between Europe and the Gulf states, speaking at the Europe-Gulf Forum co-organized in New York by by the Antenna Group and the Atlantic Council, on the theme of “Consolidating EU-Gulf Cooperation for Regional Security and Prosperity.”
The Europe-Gulf Forum (EGF) is a new platform for strategic dialogue between European and Gulf countries, aimed at strengthening the political, economic, and investment relations between the two regions, as well as to establish a stable channel of communication between governments, institutions, investors, and the business community.
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Speaking at the Forum, the President of the Republic said, among other things, that after years of advocacy by Cyprus and Greece, EU leaders are now giving due importance to the Gulf region, and in this context, the President of the European Council recently announced that the second summit of EU the EU and the Gulf next month in Saudi Arabia.
President Christodoulides emphasized that “we are working tirelessly to strengthen relations between the EU and the Gulf countries in areas such as visa liberalization, connectivity, maritime security, and others.” This effort was further underscored by the priority placed on strengthening these ties during the recent EU Council Presidency, including—for the first time—the presence of the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council at the informal European Council in Nicosia
Referring to the security situation in the Gulf, which directly affects Europe in areas such as trade, energy, and others, the President of the Republic said that both he and the Minister of Foreign Affairs visited the region during the hostilities last spring to express Cyprus’s solidarity.
He added that this situation highlights the vulnerability of shipping lanes, noting that in today’s world there is no such thing as a purely local crisis, since the consequences have global ramifications.
In the same context, he highlighted Cyprus’s particular interest as a maritime nation with the third-largest fleet in Europe and the eleventh-largest in the world.
“Consequently, we remain fully committed to the principles of international law, including the Law of the Sea. Freedom of navigation is imperative,” emphasized the President of the Republic.
Finally, referring to the great importance of international cooperation, the President of the Republic noted that the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe economic and trade corridor (IMEC) will contribute to long-term regional stability and connectivity between Europe, the Gulf, and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Among many others, the Forum was attended by the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis; the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola; the President of Finland, Mr. Alexander Stubb, the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mr. Ali Al-Thawadi, the European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, Mr. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, foreign ministers from various countries, and senior officials from international organizations.
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