By hosting the MED9 gathering during a critical moment in the region, Cyprus aims to aid in efforts to de-escalate the crisis, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said.
The government also aims at catalysing a “more active and substantial involvement of the European Union in [the] wider region,” he said.
Developments in the Middle East are to be the main focus of the meeting between the MED9 heads of state, being held in Paphos on Friday.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is also expected to push for greater European involvement in the region and coordination of the EU’s role.
“The MED9 Summit is the first top level meeting of EU leaders, a few days ahead of next week’s European Council [October 16-18] and is expected to be the platform for [first discussions] about the European Council’s agenda,” Greek government sources stated.
Mitsotakis is also expected to reiterate the importance of guarding the EU’s external borders and supporting frontline states, and address the matter of returns and cooperation with third countries. He will also speak on matters of implementation the EU’s pact on Immigration and asylum.
King of Jordan Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen will also attend Friday’s summit.
The MED 9 group, apart from Cyprus, which is presiding this year, includes France, Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia.
The meeting will be preceded by bilateral meetings, with a working lunch to follow, in which developments in the Middle East will be discussed.
Two consecutive working meetings will be held after this, focussing on relations between the EU and Jordan and Mediterranean priorities in the new EU institutional cycle.
A joint press conference of the heads of state and government will be held in the afternoon.
The MED9 group was established in 2013 at the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus, with the aim of strengthening the southern EU states’ role, and cooperation, initially among the seven states, later adding Slovenia and Croatia in 2021.
On the sideline of the meeting, the new haemodialysis unit of the Paphos General Hospital, which has been in operation for a year, will be inaugurated by Von den Leyen.
The state-of-the-art unit, with a total cost of €5 mil, was financed by EU recovery and resilience plan funds as well as national resources.
