Larnaka: President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou has called for greater European solidarity and the full integration of the 'island dimension' into EU policies. She was speaking at the conference organised by the Civil Society Organisations' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) entitled "Island of resilience - Cyprus? perspective on climate, sustainability and food security" that took place in the coastal town of Larnaka.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the conference, held under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, focused on climate adaptation, food security, and biodiversity, particularly from the island dimension. It also emphasised the importance of civil society, and in particular the EESC, in informing EU policies that are more efficient and that can be successfully implemented.
Some of the main messages were that the EU needs a long-term vision that takes greater account of geographic specificities. Sustainable water management and food security must become top priorities, with food security and biodiversity going hand in hand. Those messages must be considered in light of global uncertainties and growing risks to food supply chains, as well as the upcoming EU strategy for islands and coastal communities.
In her address, President Annita Demetriou said that "resilience depends not only on the design of policies, but also on their effective implementation and the cooperation of all stakeholders. For real impact, we need synergies between different sectors and institutions."
Demetriou highlighted the legislative and parliamentary efforts of the Republic of Cyprus and called for greater European solidarity and the full integration of the 'island dimension' into EU policies.
In his opening remarks, Cillian Lohan, President of the EESC's Civil Society Organisations' Group, outlined the objectives of the conference, stating that "our conference is not only about identifying challenges - which islands like Cyprus are often the first, fastest, and most affected by - but also about exchanging solutions, learning from each other, and strengthening cooperation between local, national, and European actors."
Andreas Gregoriou, Permanent Secretary of the Cypriot Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, stated that "from the perspective of Cyprus, strengthened EU policies must also reflect the specific realities of island and water-scarce regions, while promoting sustainable resource management and biodiversity."
The findings of the conference will feed into the work of the EESC's Civil Society Organisations' Group, whose work programme focuses, among other things, on promoting the sustainable agenda and building resilient communities, the press release concludes.