Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participated last Friday in the Summit of Southern European Union countries, also known as MED9. The group brings together the nine EU Member States on Europe's southern coast: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain, to coordinate action and priorities between them.
This year's summit was hosted by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in Paphos, in western Cyprus. It focused on the priorities of the Mediterranean region in the new institutional cycle and the preparation of this week's European Council and the EU-Golf Cooperation Council Summit.
President von der Leyen spoke to the press on Friday morning, together with President Christodoulides, and stressed the importance that the experiences and viewpoints of the Mediterranean Member States be reflected in the upcoming summits and in the EU priorities as a whole.
She highlighted that migration is one of the main priorities for the Mediterranean countries. The President reiterated that migration is a European challenge that requires European solutions. She remarked that while there has been a decrease of irregular arrivals through the Central Mediterranean route and the Balkans route, there has also been an increase of arrivals to Greece and the Canary Islands, which shows the constant evolution of the situation.
In view of this, the Commission President said: "We must now focus on making the Pact a reality on the ground. The Commission is ready to provide the necessary support for this to our Member States. In parallel, we will continue our operational work. In other words, we will keep supporting our Member States to reinforce border surveillance, fight smugglers and work on returns."
The President said that the Mediterranean will receive particular attention in her second mandate as head of the Commission. "The Mediterranean has long served as a key gateway to three continents. Today, it is the vital artery for global trade and energy flows. But it is also a front line of geopolitical influence and, tragically, a backdrop for far too many humanitarian crises and migration tragedies. This is the reason why I have defined a specific Mediterranean portfolio in my new Commission," she said; and also stressed that the region will continue to count on Europe's full support as it grapples with the effects of rising temperatures and extreme weather.
This MED9 summit also paid attention to EU-Jordan relations. The European Leaders welcomed the King of Jordan, Abdullah II, with whom they exchanged on the current situation in the Middle East. President von der Leyen met the King bilaterally and described Jordan as a friend to the EU, a strategic partner, and a critical player in the current context.
Before the summit, President von der Leyen and President Christodoulides inaugurated together a new dialysis unit in the hospital of Paphos set up thanks to the support of NextGenerationEU, the EU's recovery plan.
The Commission President highlighted the difference that it makes to patients who go through dialysis treatment several times a week. "You can imagine what a difference it makes if you save time because care is closer to you. This is precious lifetime, a gift of lifetime, a gift of a fuller, healthier life. I am glad that Europe, with NextGenerationEU, can contribute to it," the President said, highlighting that with €1 billion earmarked for Cyprus under NextGenerationEU, more improvements with European support are on the way.
President von der Leyen also expressed her full support for President Christodoulides ahead of the trilateral meeting in New York with the UN Secretary General. "The European Union remains fully behind your efforts to resume peace talks for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue. This should take place within the UN framework, on the basis of a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality. And it should be in accordance with all relevant Security Council Resolutions, as well as in line with the principles on which the EU is founded and the EU acquis. We also stand ready to support all stages of the UN-led process, within appropriate means," the President concluded.
