Christodoulides welcomes King and Crown Prince of Jordan and Greek Prime Minister to MED9 (pics)

President Nikos Christodoulides has begun welcoming dignitaries to the MED9 meeting taking place in Paphos.

So far, the President has been photographed greeting King Abdullah of Jordan and Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah as well as the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Christodoulides welcomed King Abdullah of Jordan and Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah

Christodoulides and King Abdullah of Jordan

Christodoulides and Mitsotakis

The dignitaries are arriving amid strong security measures.

Christodoulides earlier in the day inaugurated the dialysis unit at the Paphos General Hospital with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, also in Cyprus for MED9.

Cyprus is at the centre of regional developments, as the heads of government of all the European states bordering the Mediterranean, the President of the European Commission, as well as the King and Crown Prince of Jordan will be on our island for the MED9 meeting in Paphos.

The meeting’s delegates will discuss all the current issues that concern Mediterranean countries, as well as the situation in the Middle East.

The room where the meeting will take place

This is the first time the Republic of Cyprus is hosting such a summit at the level of heads of state and in which the leaders of France, Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Malta and Slovenia are participating.

Portugal will be represented by the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs, while Spain will be represented by its Minister of European Affairs.

The Mediterranean priorities for the next period will be put on the table, among which is migration, an issue that concerns many of the participating countries, which, like Cyprus, act as points of first reception of migration flows. On the subject, the President of the Republic is expected to emphasise the need for the implementation of the Migration Pact, in balance with the external dimension of the issue.

Also read: MED9 summit taking place in Paphos today – King Abdullah, Macron and Mitsotakis expected to attend