Cyprus with more embassies in 2023
The diplomatic presence of Cyprus abroad is being strengthened with the reopening or opening of four new Embassies within 2023.
Asked by KYPE, the Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Theodoros Gotsis, stated that since February, the High Commission of Cyprus in Nairobi, Kenya, has reopened.
Besides, according to Mr. Gotsi, within 2023 the Embassy of Cyprus in Jakarta, Indonesia will reopen, while at the same time the process of opening Embassies in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Manama, Bahrain, which is the only Arab Gulf country in which Cyprus does not yet maintain a diplomatic mission.
More specifically, with regard to the High Commission in Kenya, which reopened under diplomat Savvas Vladimirou, Mr. Gotsis said that in addition to the importance of the further development of historical bilateral relations, it is noteworthy that Nairobi is the headquarters of the UN Environment Office (UNEP) and the central UN regional office on the African continent. Also, Nairobi is home to the Holy Metropolis of Kenya, under the Cypriot Metropolitan Makarios Telliridis, under whose responsibility the "Makarios" Orphanage in Nyeri also operates, for the financial support of which the Republic of Cyprus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the "Sophia Foundation for the children".
Regarding the reopening of the Cypriot Embassy in Indonesia, Mr. Gotsis pointed out that this country is the largest Islamic country in population with an important role, among others, in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Furthermore, he noted that with the operation of the Embassy in Argentina, the aim is to strengthen the presence of Cyprus in South America.
The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the reopening and opening of diplomatic missions of the Republic of Cyprus is becoming possible, after the successful cooperation of the Civil Service Branch and the political and service leadership of the Ministry during the last years, which led to an agreement to resolve the timing regarding staffing, with the approval of 50 new organic positions by the Ministry of Finance in the planning for the five years 2021-2025.
In this regard, with this gradual reinforcement, it is not only expected that the diplomatic service will be restored to the number of diplomatic personnel it had before the financial crisis, but it will also be able to be significantly strengthened, so that it can evolve into a modern, European diplomatic service, he noted.
Source: stockwatch.com.cy
Photo: stockwatch.com.cy
22 March 2023
