Cyprus: Cyprus' Defence Ministry on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) to strengthen cooperation between the public and private sectors on emergency preparedness, focusing on crisis management, the protection of critical infrastructure, and enhancing the resilience of the Republic of Cyprus.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the agreement establishes a formal framework for cooperation under the Central Civil Emergency Planning Section (CCEPS). Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Defence Vasilis Palmas said that the MoU establishes a formal framework for cooperation between the OEB and the CCEPS, with the objective of ensuring optimal coordination between the state and the private sector during times of crisis.
Palmas explained that the MoU provides for closer collaboration in supporting emergency planning, strengthening the contribution of OEB members in assisting the security forces during crises, delivering training and professional development for personnel, encouraging businesses to participate in the implementation of the CCEPS's emergency plans, and promoting joint initiatives, studies and research aimed at improving the resilience of both businesses and the Republic.
For his part, OEB President George Pantelides described the MoU as a significant initiative for coordination and preparedness in an area of growing importance: strengthening the country's resilience to crises, threats and emergency situations. He said that the private sector is not merely an observer but a vital partner of the state, noting that Cypriot businesses possess infrastructure, services, expertise, skilled personnel and production capabilities which, through appropriate planning, can make a decisive contribution to crisis management and to maintaining the operational continuity of both the state and the economy.
CCEPS Director, Brigadier Iacovos Mikellides, said that cooperation with the OEB began in 2024. He noted that the Ministry of Defence, adopting modern practices already implemented in other countries, had moved to formalise this cooperation through the signing of the MoU. He explained that CCEPS is the competent state authority responsible for national emergency planning, coordination and oversight of crisis and emergency management. Its mission is to ensure effective cooperation across the state apparatus and to support the security forces, with the aim of strengthening the defence capabilities of the Republic of Cyprus, he added.