I am glad to see the former President of the Republic of Cyprus too,
Thank you, dear Nikos, for this moving visit at the Paphos hospital. And thank you to all those who are working in this hospital for your outstanding service to the patients, day and night. We have just inaugurated the new dialysis unit. It means closer and easier access to care, and it makes a big difference for patients, especially for these dialysis patients, who go through 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. NextGenerationEU is Europe's massive funding programme. It supports investments and reforms, like never before, all across Europe – so here too in Paphos. We have invested close to EUR 4 million in this new care unit. It is a concrete example of what NextGenerationEU can achieve in Cyprus. And with your EUR 1 billion from NextGenerationEU, there are many more success stories to be written, or that are being written right now. The Commission continues to stand with you to make these plans a success.
This afternoon we will have our annual MED9 Summit. Our discussions there will help prepare two upcoming meetings: the European Council and the first-ever EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. It is important that the unique experience and viewpoints of the Mediterranean Member States are reflected in those meetings.
First, this afternoon, we will discuss the Middle East. This is particularly important in the current situation. Iran's recent massive ballistic missile attack against Israel constitutes a serious escalation and threat to regional stability. I would like to reintegrate our call for a cessation of hostilities as soon as possible to create space for a diplomatic solution along the Blue Line. This must be consistent with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. I would like to thank Cyprus for its operational readiness to aid possible evacuation operations from Lebanon and – Mr President, as you have described – for your successful work to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza for months.
Second, we will meet with the King of Jordan. For us, Jordan is a strategic partner. In this crisis, Jordan plays a pivotal role in the stability in a volatile and complex MENA region. But also, beyond this crisis, Jordan is an important friend and, as I have said, a strategic partner for the European Union. So we will take the opportunity to discuss our bilateral partnership. I met King Abdullah two weeks ago at the UN General Assembly in New York. And I assured him of the European Union's long-term support to prosperity and reforms in Jordan.
Third, we will discuss European priorities for the next five years. We have a broad agenda, as you can imagine. Our first priority is competitiveness. We do not only want Europe to catch up – but to lead, globally. For this, we of course have homework to do. Whether it is cutting red tape, so that our SMEs and our industries can work better. Or whether it is bringing down energy prices – we have been successful in lowering energy prices, but they are still structurally too high. Whether it is training and education for people for the new tasks ahead or for example the mobilisation for innovation.
And, of course, we want to talk about another priority, which is migration. Migration is a European challenge that requires European solutions. Our joint efforts on migration are starting to pay off. If you look at the figures of irregular arrivals in the first eight months of this year: The Central Mediterranean route – historically one of the most busy – saw a decrease of 64%. We also saw a 75% drop on the Balkans route. But migratory routes are constantly evolving. We see now a surge of arrivals to Greece and the Spanish Canary Islands. So this requires constant effort and constant attention. Our Migration and Asylum Pact is our common roadmap for that. 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. I know that Cyprus has made good progress on returns. And we will continue building strategic relations with third countries of origin and transit – with a key focus on the Mediterranean. And dear Nikos, we have seen with Lebanon how important it is to engage with the partner countries and that this type of engagement definitely brings results.
Dear Nikos,
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. This has never been the case before, it is the first time. And I asked Commissioner-designate Dubravka Šuica to develop a Pact for the Mediterranean so that we specifically look at those topics. I want to make sure that it reflects your reality and your interests.
Your reality is also that of a beautiful – I witnessed it all these days here – but also vulnerable island. Because the Mediterranean region is particularly affected by rising temperatures, you know it better than anybody else, and extreme weather phenomena. In Cyprus, we already see an increase in heat waves and droughts. We are here to support you. We did so, for example, by sending two firefighting planes this summer, right here in Paphos. We will also invest together with you in your carbon-neutral future. We want to kick-start the clean energy transition in Cyprus. And we want to help protect your ecosystems. Because both are crucial to people's livelihoods.
One last word, dear Nikos, on the trilateral meeting that you will have next week in New York with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Guterres. We welcome this positive development. 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.
So you see, ladies and gentlemen, we have a huge agenda together with the Mediterranean. There is a lot of opportunities which we want to seize. This is a lot of positive projects and development we have to work on. I want to thank you again for inviting me to this beautiful island, and I am very much looking forward to more cooperation.
