The President of the Republic, Mr. Nikos Christodoulidis, went to Lebanon this morning together with the President of the European Commission, Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, where they had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Mr. Najib Mikati.
After the meeting and their extended talks, the three leaders made statements to the media.
In his statements, the President of the Republic said, among other things, that Lebanon is the closest neighbor to Cyprus with which they share long-term friendly relations.
He added that today is a historic day, during which an important financial support package will be given to Lebanon and its people for the development of various programs.
"I am convinced that this package will strengthen Lebanon's capabilities to manage multiple challenges, including border management and the security of its citizens," said President Christodoulidis.
He also expressed thanks to the President of the Commission for her leadership, determination and action in relation to the provision of financial support.
He noted that today's visit is important both substantively and symbolically, as von der Leyen is the first Commission President to visit Lebanon and is a sign that the EU will continue to stand by the country.
He added that together they can manage common challenges, noting that Cyprus has always been, like him personally, a strong supporter of further strengthening EU-Lebanon relations.
"Due to our geographical proximity, Cyprus has a deeper understanding of the challenges and issues facing Lebanon and which directly affect Cyprus as well as the EU," said the President, highlighting the negative effects of the situation in Syria .
President Christodoulidis also pointed out that "while we praise Lebanon for hosting Syrian refugees for more than 12 years, we are aware of the enormous pressure that the country's economy and society are under. I want to assure you that Lebanon's efforts are not taken for granted. Also, we cannot continue with the status quo. This matter must be dealt with decisively, comprehensively and effectively.
I want to be clear. The current situation is not sustainable for Lebanon, it is not sustainable for Cyprus, it is not sustainable for the EU. It has not been sustainable for years since developments, especially in recent months, force us to find immediate solutions. We need to work more closely and extensively with our partners, as well as UNHCR, to discuss the issue of voluntary (return) and beyond. The situation in some areas of Syria must be reviewed."
Finally, he stated that "peace, stability, prosperity in Lebanon will only come if we all fulfill our commitments".
In her remarks, the President of the Commission said, among other things, that "we are here to say that the EU strongly supports Lebanon and its people and we want to strengthen our long-standing cooperation.
This was the very clear message of the European leaders at our last meeting.
The President of the Republic of Cyprus and I are here in a spirit of teamwork on the part of Europe to repeat this message."
He added that they discussed, among other things, ways to support Lebanon's security and stability.
"To underline our support, I am announcing the provision of a support package of one billion euros to Lebanon which will be available from this year until 2027. We want to contribute to the socio-economic stability of Lebanon first by strengthening basic services such as investments, health' and more, Ms von der Leyen said.
He added that the EU will support reforms in the country which will allow confidence to be restored in Lebanon's businesses and banking sector.
He also underlined that the EU will support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Services by providing training, equipment and assistance in relation to border management infrastructure, under an agreement with Fronex.
"To deal with immigration, we are determined to maintain legal passages to Europe and for the settlement of refugees from Lebanon in Europe, while at the same time we rely on your good cooperation to prevent illegal immigration and to fight migrant smuggling," said Mrs. von der Leyen.
He added that to manage Syrian migrants and ensure their well-being in host countries, the EU will continue to provide financial assistance.
For his part, the Lebanese Prime Minister said that during their meeting they discussed Lebanon's bilateral relations with the EU member states, especially Cyprus, as well as the developments in Gaza.
He added that he renewed his appeal to the EU to help the Palestinian people and reach a solution in the Middle East, but also to end the attack on southern Lebanon.
He underlined the need for collective action to deal with Migration, mainly Syrian flows, and its negative effects.
He also noted that the presence of the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the President of the European Commission in Lebanon expresses the change of EU policies in relation to Syrian immigrants in Lebanon, which faces the greatest burden of the refugee flow from Syria.
He added that his country is ready to work with other states to handle the issue.
He pointed out that the security of Lebanon is directly linked to the security of the countries of the region and the EU and vice versa, emphasizing that what is unfolding on Cypriot territory is just an indication of what can happen to the EU if the issue of migration flows is not effectively handled.
Finally, he expressed grateful thanks to President Christodoulidis for his efforts in the direction of providing aid to Lebanon.
After the statements, the President of the Republic had a meeting with the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Mr. Nahib Berri, and then sat down to a working lunch with the Prime Minister of the country and President von der Leyen.
