Newsroom
Cyprus is positioning itself for a front‑row seat in a major new regional plan. The EU‑backed Pact for the Mediterranean, launched in mid‑October, aims to deepen cooperation across the southern shores of the Mediterranean, and Cyprus stands to gain in several concrete ways.
What’s the Pact about?
The deal is built around three big goals: people, economies, and security & migration. For people, the Pact plans to boost student and youth exchanges, build a Mediterranean University, and promote cultural and training programs. For economies, it targets cleaner energy, better trade and transport links, stronger digital infrastructure and more investment into small businesses. For security & migration, it includes improved border management, cooperation on migration flows, and regional stability‑efforts.
Why Cyprus is in line for benefits
Being on the edge of both the European and Eastern Mediterranean wings, Cyprus can tap into energy and connectivity projects (think green‑tech and interconnectors) that the Pact highlights. Moreover, Cyprus can leverage its young workforce, tourism infrastructure, and strategic location to attract startups and foreign investment under the economy pillar.
On the security front, the island has long dealt with migration and border issues; the Pact’s emphasis on joint action gives Cyprus a platform to coordinate more closely with the EU and neighbours.
What happens next and what to keep an eye on
The Pact is expected to be politically endorsed by the EU and southern partners in November 2025. A detailed action plan will follow in the first quarter of 2026, laying out which countries join which projects, who funds them, and how they’ll be implemented.
For Cyprus: look out for calls for participation in initiatives (youth mobility, clean‑energy infrastructure, and technology investment), and for local government/industry to sign up.
On the flip side, Cyprus will face decisions, prioritizing which projects to push, ensuring funding is secured, and aligning domestic policy (education, infrastructure, regulation) to make the most of the opportunity.
5 things Cyprus must do now to benefit from the 'Pact for the Mediterranean'
- Pick priority projects – Decide which initiatives (green energy, startups, education exchanges) will deliver the biggest return and push them first.
- Secure funding fast – Align EU, national, and private investment to make sure Cyprus can match its commitments and attract more.
- Streamline bureaucracy – Simplify approvals and regulations to move projects from paper to reality quickly.
- Mobilize youth and talent – Promote student mobility, vocational training, and tech skills to make Cyprus a hub for innovation.
- Strengthen regional coordination – Work closely with EU partners and Mediterranean neighbors on energy, security, and migration to ensure Cyprus isn’t left on the sidelines.
*Source eoc.org, European Commission website, Euronews
