A conference on air connectivity is expected to take place in early April in Cyprus, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Yiannis Karousos said, addressing the Aviation Summit held on Friday in Toulouse under the French Presidency of the EU.

In his intervention at the Summit, Karoussos referred, among other things, to the impact of climate change on Cyprus, an island state in the Mediterranean, while he also referred to Cyprus` dependence on aviation as regards its connectivity with other countries, noting that, together with the tourism sector, aviation accounts for 20% of the country`s GDP, a Transport Ministry press release says,

Karousos expressed Cyprus' support of the EU`s ambitious decarbonisation plans as these "will allow for the long-term sustainable development of aviation and our economy as a whole." These plans, however, "should also ensure a socially equitable transition for all countries, taking into account the specificities of islands and regions, which are mainly dependent on air connectivity".

The Cypriot Minister, the press release adds, referred to the Declaration on Air Connectivity, noting that already 13 European states are looking into the Declaration's provisions and added that very soon Cyprus will be able to announce a conference on air connectivity which is expected to take place in Cyprus in the beginning of April.