Desalination units with a capacity of 15 thousand cubic meters per day will arrive in Cyprus in due course, following an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Thursday, noting that a resolution to the issue has been achieved so that there is no risk of water supply cuts.
Invited, during his statements at the Presidential Palace, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers, to provide clarifications regarding the reports of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, regarding the water issue in his television interview, the Spokesperson said that what the President of the Republic said is that "following an intensive effort on our part and fully utilizing the excellent relations we have built with the UAE", as well as the enhanced diplomatic footprint of the Republic of Cyprus, "the issue of the risk of water cut-off in the summer has been resolved, and units with a capacity of 15 thousand cubic meters per day will arrive in time, corresponding to the needs we have, so that the Republic of Cyprus is not at risk of water cuts".
He noted that the issue of the location of the units is already under evaluation by the competent Ministry and the competent services. "They will come to our country on time after the official confirmation was received yesterday from the UAE," the Spokesperson said. At the same time, he noted, the plans of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment for the permanent solution to the water problem in the country are progressing.
He recalled that 30% of the Ministry's budget has been dedicated to investments to address water issues, and that the Council of Ministers has made four decisions to date, in the last two years, with two of them in 2024 concerning national action plans with a horizon until 2030, while a series of measures, plans and incentives have been announced that can be utilized "and will be utilized", noting that these are two parallel processes and initiatives.
"What is important is that through these diplomatic contacts, through the activation of an extroverted foreign policy, it is proven in practice that diplomacy is not theoretical, it is a matter of national policy, it is an issue that can serve national interests and this has a direct and practical impact on our everyday lives," said Mr. Letymbiotis.
Asked how easy it is to connect 15 units to the water system in a timely manner, the Spokesperson said that "we have already been in intensive contact and coordination (with the UAE) at a technocratic level for quite some time, so that the President could reach the announcement yesterday". The necessary consultations have already been made, he said, and in the coming period these will be intensified to ensure both connectivity with the network and the timely placement of these units "and this is the information we have from the UAE side as well".
He added that an assessment was made of the needs that existed, in order to decide the amount of water that will come from the UAE, noting that the efforts based on the planning and the actions of the Ministry based on the planning and the budget are continuing normally. “We will not be complacent, we will continue to have as much access to water as possible,” said Mr. Letymbiotis, noting that “at the same time, we reiterate to our fellow citizens that there cannot be reckless use of water.”
He also said that "water has been plaguing our country for decades," underlining the deteriorating climatic conditions, especially in the region, which, as he said, "is an issue that this government has identified in a timely manner and has announced measures. "If there had been no fire at the desalination plant in Paphos, our planning would have proceeded without disorientation. However, the development with the UAE allows us to continue uninterrupted with our plans," he noted.
When asked, he said that measures have already been taken for irrigation, noting that "the fact that our water needs are being covered will have a positive consequence for irrigation as well."
Source: KYPE
