Newsroom
Despite increasing strain on national infrastructure, Cyprus remains committed to protecting people fleeing war, violence and persecution, the Deputy Ministry of Migration and International Protection said Thursday in a statement marking World Refugee Day.
The ministry said refugee flows continue to rise due to ongoing armed conflicts, political instability, climate change, and global energy and food crises. “This year’s World Refugee Day finds us facing a global reality that is becoming increasingly difficult and unstable,” the statement read.
Calling the day a reminder of “our collective duty,” the ministry urged continued support for refugees and emphasized the need to uphold their dignity and human rights. Refugees, it noted, are defined as individuals who can prove they are persecuted based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
The ministry also reflected on Cyprus’s own history of displacement following the 1974 Turkish invasion, which forced thousands of Cypriots from their homes. “We know very well what it means to be a refugee or displaced,” it said. That experience, the ministry added, has instilled a deep sense of moral responsibility and solidarity toward those in similar situations.
Cyprus continues to meet its international and European obligations as a frontline member of the European Union, placing particular focus on vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors, women and victims of exploitation.
“We must not allow displacement to become a new normal,” the statement concluded. “Today, more than ever, we are called upon to defend every person’s right to live in safety, dignity and hope.”
