Cyprus is ‘front line country’ for migrants, needs more EU support – Ioannides

Island states in the EU face a unique set of challenges where migration is concerned and the EU should take these into account when shaping its policy, Deputy Minister of Migration Nicholas Ioannides said on Friday.

Delivering a speech for the Association of Former Members of the European Economic and Social Committee, the deputy minister said supporting island states is not only a matter of fair burden sharing but also of strategic importance for the EU’s common prosperity.

Cyprus in particular faces a series of unique challenges such as Turkey’s occupation in the north and the existence of the Green Line, he specified.

Additionally, Cyprus’ proximity to a volatile Middle East marred with conflict over the years, puts the island on a ‘front line position’ where migration is concerned, Ioannides added.

In the past ten years, Cyprus has offered international protection to around 18,000 migrants and there are 22,000 applications pending.

Ioannides described migration as a collective challenge which no state can cope with on its own. He said Cyprus and other island states need extra support in terms of tools and equipment that can enable them to manage migration flows.

As such, cooperation and solidarity between EU member states is paramount in ensuring equal share of burden and challenges.

The deputy minister described the EU’s latest migration pact as a step in the right direction but one that comes with challenges in its implementation.

He specified countries had been forced to take unilateral measures to deal with increased migration flows, underlining the importance of a collective approach.

“In the light of the above, we believe that EU policy should take more account of island states and regions in the context of a common policy for all European island territories.”

“Supporting our island regions is not only a matter of justice and the need to share the burden equally, but also of strategic importance for the EU. We must join forces to ensure that our islands continue to flourish and contribute to our common prosperity.”

Ioannides specified Cyprus has taken “significant measures” to deal with the increased pressures. In 2024, there were more repatriations that arrivals, and the infrastructure at migrant centres Pournara and Kofinou have been improved.

There is also a strategy in place to help integration, with a focus on education and teaching Greek so as to avoid marginalisation.