In Cyprus, Prime Minister Robert Abela addressed the opening of a High-Level Conference which tackled the topic on how to strengthen islands and coastal communities particularly ones in the European Union.

The conference was hosted by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

In his speech, the Prime Minister mentioned how in the European Union there are thousands of islands that are home to millions of Europeans and although the circumstances of each island are diverse, the challenges they face are similar, such as insularity, connectivity, higher costs and exposure to external shocks, among others.

Abela argued that for small, island and peripheral Member States of the European continent, such as our country, these pressures are real and affect the way people travel, how businesses trade and how services are provided. He continued that however we should not only talk about islands in terms of restrictions, because they are also resilient, innovative and have strategic value where new approaches and technologies are often tested in various sectors, including energy, maritime activity, and digital policy, among others.

The Prime Minister stressed that European policy should be based on the realities of islands and requires the contribution of island States. He pointed out that the Treaties recognise the specific challenges faced by islands, and that these realities need to be reflected more consistently in European policymaking and not corrected afterwards. He also mentioned how during the European Council meetings he insists that these realities of island states be reflected in the conclusions that offer political guidance for shaping the blocs.

The conference also marked the adoption by the European Commission earlier this month of the first European Union strategies for islands and coastal communities. Prime Minister Abela welcomed these strategies and argued that they should make a difference in the lives of people living on islands and not just serve as recognition of the challenges they face.

“Geographical position continues to determine the way citizens live on islands and coastal communities. However, this should never serve as an obstacle to the aspirations of our citizens as well as to economic opportunities. Our duty is to ensure that citizens are given all the necessary tools to achieve their aspirations,” concluded Abela.