Antalya:President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides departed on Tuesday afternoon for Antalya, Turkey, via Rhodes, leading a Cypriot diplomatic delegation to attend the Leaders' Summit of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled for November 11 and 12.

According to Cyprus News Agency, COP31 began on Monday, November 9, and will continue until November 20, with a focus on strengthening global efforts to tackle climate change, implementing the Paris Agreement, and adapting to the impacts of the climate crisis.

During the Leaders' Summit, heads of state and government are expected to present their countries' positions and commitments on climate action. The agenda also includes discussions on the energy transition, climate finance, and strengthening resilience to the impacts of climate change.

President Christodoulides' participation in the conference holds significant diplomatic importance. A government source previously informed CNA that the Republic of Cyprus secured an official invitation following sustained and coordinated diplomatic efforts by Nicosia, involving active participation from EU institutions and member states.

The source emphasized the importance of coordinated EU pressure, highlighting the bloc's common stance that the full and equal participation of an EU member state in international processes must not be questioned or subjected to unilateral restrictions. This issue arose after the weekly "Kathimerini tis Kiriakis" reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sent personal invitations to the leaders of the other 26 EU member states for the COP31 Leaders' Summit, in what the newspaper described as an attempt to exclude the Republic of Cyprus and its President.