Nicosia: The 28th Interparliamentary Conference on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is set to be held in Nicosia from March 3 to 5. The event is organized by the House of Representatives as part of the parliamentary dimension of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Conference will see the attendance of European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius, former Vice-President of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas, and European Commission's Special Representative for the Middle East, Christophe Bigot, along with over 200 parliament members from EU member states, the European Parliament, candidate countries, and observer states.
Annita Demetriou, President of the House of Representatives, is scheduled to inaugurate the Conference on March 4. The sessions will be jointly led by Haris Georgiades, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign and European Affairs of the House of Representatives, and David McAllister, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament.
The opening session will feature a presentation by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Constantinos Kombos, outlining the priorities and strategies of the CFSP and CSDP. The subsequent session will address the EU's role in the Middle East and North Africa, with keynote addresses from former European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and EU Special Representative for the Middle East, Christophe Bigot.
Further discussions will center on the ongoing developments in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a keynote speech by Oleksandr Merezhko, Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament of Ukraine.
On Thursday, the focus will shift to enhancing European defence capabilities, where European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius and Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Security and Defence Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann will deliver keynote speeches.
Additionally, the conference will host meetings for delegations from Mediterranean countries (Group Med), European political groups, and the Presidential Troika, comprising Denmark, Cyprus, Ireland, and the European Commission.