Commissioner for Mediterranean to discuss new pact and energy in visit to Cyprus

Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, will discuss current work on the New Pact for the Mediterranean, regional developments and energy aspects, issues in which Cyprus has an active role and expertise, during her visit to the country on Friday, 11 April.

Šuica will meet with President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, and Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna.

Being a key regional player in East Mediterranean, Middle East and the Gulf, Cyprus’ active role and expertise in the region is valuable for promoting cooperation and strengthening mutually beneficial relations, stressed the Commission in a press release ahead of the visit.

The Commissioner’s schedule begins with a meeting with President Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace at 9.30am. This will be followed by statements to the media. Šuica will then meet with Deputy Minister Raouna at 10.30am, and with Foreign Minister Kombos at 11.30am.

Ahead of her visit, the Commissioner was interviewed by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).

The Mediterranean is currently at the forefront of experiencing the effects of climate change, Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Šuica, told CNA, responding in writing to questions ahead of her arrival in Cyprus.

Šuica pointed out the role that the EU wants to play in promoting clean technologies and the trade of renewable energy in the region, underlining that energy can be produced more cheaply on the south coast of the Mediterranean, which is both an economic as well as a strategic opportunity.

She reiterated the EU’s support to the construction of the Great Sea Interconnector and stressed that the EU will help countries involved to implement the project, but avoided referring directly to the issues raised by Turkey. The Commissioner also welcomed recent efforts in Geneva to restart negotiations on the Cyprus issue.

Commissioner Šuica also spoke about migration and the recent decrease of irregular arrivals of migrants to the through the Easter Mediterranean, said that the EU continues to support a two state solution in Israel / Palestine, and explained that Europe actively supports civil society in the Middle East and North Africa.

Climate change

Commenting on the fact that climate change is a challenge that touches the whole region, and responding to a question on how the EU can contribute to mitigation efforts as well as the development of renewables, the Commissioner noted that “countries in the Mediterranean are at the forefront, experiencing the effects of climate change” as the region is warming 20% faster than the global average, “with visible consequences such as desertification, water scarcity, and increasing pressure on agriculture and livelihoods”.

“Climate action is part of our partnerships and will be part of the New Pact for the Mediterranean” she continued. “We are working closely with governments, the private sector, and civil society to ensure a just and inclusive green transition and strong cooperation for climate resilience, energy, environment protection, water management,” she added.

Regarding renewables, Šuica said that the EU will boost their use and of clean tech “by further integrating electricity interconnections for more stable and efficient use across the Mediterranean”, including through the Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Clean Tech Cooperation Initiative to increase renewable energy trading and support clean tech manufacturing in the region.

“Our ultimate goal is decarbonisation, access to cost-competitive renewable energy by optimizing resources, diversify energy mix, and socio-economic development thanks to investments and job creation in these high potential sectors” she said.

Energy can be produced more cheaply on the southern shore - and this is not just an economic opportunity, but a strategic one: it reduces our dependencies and strengthens resilience across the region”, Šuica pointed out.

Great Sea Interconnector

On developments regarding the Great Sea Interconnector project, and asked whether this is something she raises in contacts with Turkey, Šuica said that the GSI “is a project of the highest strategic importance for the Commission as it will allow to connect Cyprus to the European electricity grid, as the last non-connected Member State” and will “be instrumental in allowing Cyprus to decarbonise its energy system and boost renewables”.

“The project has received a grant of 657 million euro from the Connecting Europe Facility  for the construction of the part of the interconnector Cyprus - Crete” she added, underlining that “the Commission is fully committed to the project” and “will assist the project promoters and impacted Member States to ensure its implementation”. She did not however refer to the issues created by Turkey.

“It will be a key infrastructure bringing an end to Cyprus’s energy isolation, and effectively making all EU countries physically connected to the EU electricity grid via mainland Greece” she pointed out, adding that “by boosting electricity interconnections, it will also help the integration of renewable energy sources in the Mediterranean region”.

Cyprus Problem

Asked how her portfolio is connected to the Cyprus Problem and whether she is able to send messages to Turkey, Šuica said that “a peaceful and stable Mediterranean and the promotion of dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders is of key importance for the EU”.

“While Turkey does not fall under my portfolio I can reassure you that the EU remains fully committed to a settlement of the Cyprus issue within the UN framework, on the basis of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and in line with the principles on which the EU is founded and the acquis,” she added.

“We are closely following the recent positive developments and will continue to play an active role in supporting the process” she said, saying that she was “encouraged by the outcome of the UN-facilitated informal high-level talks on Cyprus in Geneva on 17 and 18 March” and that the EU “welcomed the commitment demonstrated by the leaders of both Cypriot communities at the meeting to make progress and continue the dialogue”.

“I hope that the Geneva talks have set a new process in motion that could result in an agreement in the future to resume formal talks on a Cyprus settlement within the UN framework” she stressed.

The Pact for the Mediterranean

Commenting on the connection between her portfolio and foreign relations, Šuica said that the political priorities of the Commission “are interconnected and influence one another” and that the same approach “applies to the work of Commissioners - we are working together in synergy”.

“The portfolio for the Mediterranean is very much a foreign policy portfolio and touches upon a wide range of policies” she added, pointing out that she works closely with the High Representative “who primarily leads the diplomatic track, but also with all other colleagues responsible for policies relevant for the region such as energy, climate, trade and migration, just to name a few”.

“From my side I focus on creating economic ties and improving our relations with the region, in line with EU’s political priorities,” she explained.

Regarding the Pact for the Mediterranean, the Commissioner said that its goal is “to strengthen cooperation with the Mediterranean region to foster stability, security, and prosperity” and that it will focus “on key areas where we share joint challenges and aspirations with our partners, like clean energy, migration, economic development, security, digital and transport connectivity and the blue economy” through concrete and innovative initiatives.

The work will be done both at regional and bilateral level she said, adding that the Union for the Mediterranean can drive forward many of the regional initiatives and pointing out that when it comes to bilateral agreements she signed a Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Jordan in January, following similar agreements with Tunisia and Egypt, and with more to come.

“Our action will include all tools at our disposal: from legislation to new initiatives, such as the implementation of the Gulf Strategy and the Trans-Mediterranean Energy Clean Tech Cooperation Initiative, to the use of EU programmes such as the broadening the scope of Erasmus + and Horizon programs to our partners on the other side of our sea,” she said.

Tha goal is to create mutual benefits, “such as lowering energy costs, unlocking private sector investments and mobilising large-scale regional projects to create opportunities, especially for young people and our businesses.”

“Our aim is not to produce yet another paper, but to create a real and concrete impact together with our partners on equal footing – and this is why I launched extensive consultations, and why I came to Cyprus” she stressed.

Migration

Asked to comment how far the EU has come when it comes to comprehensive agreements with Southern Neighbourhood countries on managing legal migration and limiting irregular migration, Šuica said that in the first two months in 2025, there was a 35% decrease in detections of irregular border crossings via the Eastern Mediterranean route and that the Commission continues to closely monitor developments.

She added that the Pact for the Mediterranean will also include “migration management aspects and serve as a basis to operationalise external aspects of migration policy” and that the EU “will continue supporting partner countries in developing a comprehensive approach to migration and we will do so by enhancing our partnerships with countries in the region.”

Regarding the external dimension of migration, Šuica said that the Commission “continues to implement the EU Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean with an emphasis on stepping up prevention of irregular migration and enhancing management of flows in cooperation with key countries of origin and transit”, and that “actions taken so far by the Commission have helped to significantly stem arrivals through the Green Line. In 2024, we had 60% of arrivals less compared to the year before.”

When asked how the Commission encourages Turkey to tackle the problem of smugglers moving migrants to Cyprus via sea, Šuica said only that “we are in continuous dialogue with Türkiye on migration, including setting up a high-level dialogue on migration and security in early 2025.”

Gaza, Israel and Palestine

Invited to say whether the EU has done enough to end the suffering in Gaza, and how the EU can contribute beyond humanitarian assistance also by giving incentives to the Israeli government to respect the goal for a two-state solution, the Commissioner said that both people deserve to live in peace, security and dignity and that Gaza suffered a lot.

“One of the priorities in my portfolio is to work on a Middle East strategy, which includes supporting the post-conflict recovery in Gaza. However, a permanent end to hostilities is a prerequisite for any sustainable recovery and reconstruction effort to be launched. All parties have a political responsibility to make this a reality. The EU is supporting the two-state solution where both an Israeli and a Palestinian State can live side by side,” she wrote.

“Our channels of communication remain open with both sides. On 24 February, we had an Association Council with Israel where we stated that a political solution should include Gaza and the West Bank and should respect international and humanitarian law. Next Monday, we will have a High-level Political Dialogue with Palestine” she added.

She recalled that the EU has also “greatly supported the Palestinian Authority and its reform programme”, beyond humanitarian assistance. “This is vital politically, but also both at technical and financial level and aims to empower and strengthen them to be able to govern,” she underlined.

Democracy and youth

Commenting on how the EU balances between its democratic values and having to engage with authoritarian regimes in the region, the Commissioner stressed that “our engagement is firmly rooted in our values - democracy, human rights, and the rule of law” but the EU is “also strategic: dialogue is essential, even with governments whose systems may differ from ours”.

“We believe in principled engagement - cooperating where we can, while never compromising on our core values. This means addressing issues frankly, supporting reform where possible, and always keeping the wellbeing of the people at the centre,” she pointed out.

“To ensure we listen to the voices of citizens, we engage not only with governments but also with civil society, academia, youth, and local communities. The EU has traditionally been a steadfast support of civil society actors in the region and beyond. We are committed to making our partnerships people-centred, and to creating space for open, honest dialogue using a whole-of society approach,” she said.

Specifically on youth, Commissioner Šuica recalled that in the southern Mediterranean over 50% of the population is under 24, and 63% under 35, and that the new pact “prioritises people-to-people connections, especially for youth”.

“Last week in Granada at the Forum for the Mediterranean, I have proposed a Youth Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean as an additional initiative to strengthen ties” she continued.

“Our youth is a precious asset, and we must ensure that we build the future with them, not only for them. This is also why I am advocating for creation of a network of Mediterranean Universities, which will allow students and academics from the region to exchange ideas and knowledge” said to the Commissioner.

Commissioner Kadis also in Cyprus

Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, will also be in Cyprus on Friday. Kadis will meet with the president of the Cyprus Institute, Stavros Malas, as well as members of the board at 12:00. He will then head to the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, where he will meet with Minister Athena Michaelidou and with students for the presentation of the project ‘Exploration of the Oceans’, at the first Lego League Cyprus Robotics Competition 2025

(Source: CNA)