Cyprus President and EU Commission President in Beirut in bid to tackle migration

President Nikos Christodoulides is visiting Lebanon with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to discuss ways of providing political and financial support to the country and the effective management of the migration issue.

President Christodoulides and the President of the European Commission travelled to Beirut together on the morning of 2 May, where they will be officially received by the Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati.

Von der Leyen visited Cyprus on 1 May for the 20th anniversary of Cyprus' accession to the EU.

A trilateral meeting will then take place and will be followed by expanded talks between the delegations of the three parties.

According to Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the main objective of the visit will be to provide political and economic support to Lebanon from the EU, to discuss how to address the challenges facing the country as a consequence of regional developments, the effective management of migration and the implementation of the necessary reforms by Lebanon to promote the stability and prosperity of the country.

Letymbiotis has also notes that "the President of the European Commission will present an Economic Support Package for Lebanon, the implementation of which was an initiative of President Christodoulides and the Republic of Cyprus and is a practical demonstration of the active role that the EU can play in the region."

The President of the Republic and the President of the Commission will then have a meeting with the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nahib Berri.

Later, the two Presidents will attend a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister of Lebanon in their honour.

President Christodoulides, who will be accompanied by Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, the Government Spokesperson and the Commander of the CIS, will return to Cyprus in the afternoon of the same day.

(Source: CNA)