CERIDES – Excellence in Innovation and Technology of European University Cyprus announces the successful completion of the 5th edition of the Nicosia Risk Forum, which took place on 4 and 5 December 2024 at the Golden Bay Beach Hotel in Larnaca.
Nicosia Risk Forum, the flagship event of CERIDES, is organised every two years aiming to support the reduction of disaster risk from natural and man-made hazards. The key pillar of the Forum are activities which aim to strengthen regional cooperation in the Mediterranean and the Middle East regions, recognizing that disaster management in this complex geopolitical environment requires the full cooperation of all regional stakeholders.
Nicosia Risk Forum 2024 was placed under the auspices of the HE of the President of the Cyprus Republic Dr. Nikos Christodoulides, and was officially supported by the Union for the Mediterranean.
The Forum hosted Directors and representatives from all major global and regional organisations in the field of disasters from natural and man-made hazards, including the European Commission, UNDRR, UN OCHA, the World Bank and the League of Arab States.
During the Forum, the President of the Cyprus Republic Dr. Nikos Christodoulides, the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean Ambassador Naser Kamel, the Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean Ambassador Stephen Borg, the Cyprus Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Constantinos Kombos, the Cyprus Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Development Ms. Maria Panayiotou, the Greece Deputy Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection (responsible for state aid) Dr. Christos Triantopoulos, and the Cyprus Deputy Minister of State for European Affairs, Ms. Marilena Raouna.
During his speech, the President of the Cyprus Republic Dr. Nikos Christodoulides referred in detail to the actions undertaken by the Cyprus Republic over the last 20 months regarding the design of a Cyprus National Civil Protection Mechanism. At the same time he developed his vision of Cyprus becoming a pillar of stability in the wider South East Mediterranean region, while he also discussed the proposal of the Cyprus Republic for the development of a forest firefighting base which will house on a permanent basis air assets from all countries of the region.