Madrid: Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, Nicholas Ioannides, will pay a working visit to Spain on September 11-12, at the invitation of the Spanish Interior Minister. According to a press release issued by the Deputy Ministry, the aim of the visit is to strengthen cooperation with Spain and promote joint action at European level in the areas of asylum and migration, the integration of legal migrants, and security.
According to Cyprus News Agency, during his stay in the Spanish capital, Ioannides will have successive meetings with the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz, to discuss issues related to integration strategies. He will also meet with the Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, to exchange views on the management of returns of foreign nationals, the security of external borders, the full integration of Cyprus into the Schengen Area, and the strengthening of the European solidarity mechanism.
The programme of the visit includes a visit to the Care, Emergency and Referral Centre (CAED) in the Carabanchel district, where reception and support practices for migrants will be presented. Additionally, the Deputy Minister will meet with the Director and researchers of the Elcano Royal Institute to discuss the analysis of strategic approaches to migration and European security.
According to the Deputy Ministry of Migration, this visit holds significance in light of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which the Republic of Cyprus will assume in the first half of 2026. One of the main pillars within the framework of the trilateral programme of the Polish-Danish-Cypriot Presidencies is to enhance a ‘Strong and Secure Europe’, with migration and border protection being key priorities.
The visit to Madrid is part of this strategic preparation, strengthening bilateral relations between Cyprus and Spain and contributing to the exchange of experiences and best practices that will reinforce the policies of the Cyprus Presidency in the field of migration, the press release concluded.