Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Raouna, has said that the increasingly complex nature of maritime security issues requires coordinated international efforts and the EU can and must be at the forefront of these efforts.

She was addressing on Tuesday morning the opening of a three-day course entitled “The challenges of securing maritime areas for the European Union with a focus on the Eastern Mediterranean region” which is organised by the Cyprus Security & Defence Academy (CSDA and the French Institute for Advanced Studies in National Defence (IHEDN), under the auspices of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) and taking place at the Joint Rescue Coordinating Centre in Larnaca.

A total of 40 participants are attending the seminar from 10 countries (Cyprus, Romania, Portugal, Poland, France, Malta, Spain, Greece, Belgium and Italy). The seminar is open to both civilian and military personnel from EU member states, institutions and agencies.

Raouna said “we can all recognise, now perhaps more than ever, that maritime security, is a core component of the EU’s strategic autonomy, precisely because it is vital to the strategic interests, security and the prosperity of the EU and its citizens. Our seas are vital, from a security point of view, from an economic point of view, from an environmental point of view, and we need to protect them, particularly now.”

She added that it is “also appropriate that this important course takes place in Cyprus – the EU’s south-eastern most corner, lying at the heart of a region that is crucial for the world and crucial for the European Union”, adding that “Cyprus stands as the EU’s lighthouse in the Eastern Mediterranean, as a pillar of stability, reliability and security.”

According to the European Affairs Deputy Minister in the last decade leaps of progress have been achieved in what I like to call microlateralism in the region, including through the trilateral cooperation mechanisms, with Egypt, Jordan, Israel, that cover an array of fields, including maritime issues. Some formations include other EU member states, such as France for example in the case of the bilateral with Egypt, on issues of security.

Raouna said “Cyprus has demonstrated its reliability time and time again, often times, regrettably, in the most tragic circumstances; recently twice with the evacuation from Sudan and the evacuation as a result of the Israel-Hamas war, together with the operationalisation of the Amalthea Cyprus maritime corridor, which has created an international humanitarian alliance. The Amalthea initiative is here to stay and we will be scaling up,” she remarked.

The government has been working closely on regional security, including maritime security, with regional and international strategic partners, the USA being one of them, she said and made special reference to the Cyprus Centre for Land Open Seas and Port Security (the so called CYCLOPS center), which has been established here in Larnaca in cooperation with the government of the United States. The Centre forms a model of regional cooperation, serving Cyprus and the broader region, in addressing related challenges, including maritime security and cybersecurity.

Noting that the maritime sector faces many challenges with security long been one of them, she said within the current geopolitical environment, challenges related to the maritime sector have become increasingly complex.

At the same time, Raouna added the maritime sector holds great importance for the EU, serving as a backbone of its economy, trade and transportation. Approximately 90% of the EU’s external freight trade is seaborne, whereas 40% of world fleet is controlled by EU shipowners.

The maritime transport sector, she said, links the EU with global markets and it is estimated to contribute around €150 billion to EU’s annual GDP. As an island country with a strong maritime tradition, Cyprus has steadily developed into a world-class maritime centre.

"The maritime sector is today one of the main drivers of Cyprus’ economic growth. An efficient and integrated maritime hub, Cyprus has the third largest merchant fleet in Europe and the 11th largest in the world, and is among the largest ship-management centres in the world," she pointed out.

“Protecting our seas and the ecosystems is essential for the long-term viability of the maritime sector, which inevitably relies on stable and predictable ocean and sea conditions for safe navigation and efficient maritime operations. The EU approach for a sustainable blue economy serves to this end, as it aims to harness the economic potential of the seas and oceans while minimizing any negative environmental impacts and ensuring the development and responsible use of resources and ecosystems”, the European Affairs Deputy Minister added.

In the last couple of years, Raouna noted, it is Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine with its repercussions on international shipping routes and more recently Houthis’ attacks against vessels in the Red Sea, that have brought maritime security under the international spotlight, causing disruptions in freedom of navigation and maritime trade, while exacerbating rising shipping costs and inflation rates, with significant ripple effects on Europe’s supply chain and overall economic security.

As an EU member state that is at the same time an integral part of the Eastern Mediterranean, said Raouna, “we are deeply concerned by developments in our region” as any escalation and spillover impacts the security and stability of the EU itself.

The regional turmoil has equally exacerbated critical maritime challenges such as irregular migration and organised crime, including smuggling of migrants and human trafficking, with severe social, economic, demographic and political repercussions, in particular for the front-line EU member states, such as Cyprus.

She referred to President Nikos Christodoulides’ recent visits together with the President of the European Commission to Egypt and Lebanon, which “form part of our collective efforts to have the EU engage more with the region, approach the countries of the region as true partners, through a holistic approach that serves the interests of the region, the EU and our partners.”

Raouna added the increasingly complex nature of “security issues requires coordinated international efforts. The EU can and must be at the forefront of these efforts and Cyprus will remain a strong voice on this issue, regionally and in Brussels”.

In her speech, French Ambassador Salina Grenet - Catalano, said the conference is very topical and meaningful in light of the current situation in the region.

Maritime security, she said, is vital and crucial challenge as well as for France which has the world’s second largest maritime domain which benefits both from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea but it is also crucial for Europe, importance of our economies, to protect ourselves and to protect our trade and our security from the threatening attacks.

Noting that “maritime security is fragile”, she said it is faced with three new challenges, the first one is environmental with an expecting rising sea level, putting potentially 900 million people at risk.

The second, she added, is the rising of sea territory claim phenomenon, endangering international law and freedom of navigation rule. The third, she added, is the extension of wars waging at land and this is particularly true today in the Black Sea and the Red Sea.

Concluding, Catalano said "we must collectively enhance our resilience and increase the level of interoperability and trust in like-minded countries” to address these challenges.

In his remarks, Stelios Himonas, Permanent Secretary of the Shipping Deputy Ministry, said the eastern Mediterranean and Red Sea regions facilitate international trade and without a doubt they are geopolitical zones of strategic importance. “The plethora of natural resources, along with strategic location of these areas are the reason for territorial dispute and unlawful claims and demands and complex power dynamics,” he added.

The safety of seafarers, he remarked, “is of paramount importance to the stability and global trade, adding that “ensuring their safety is not just a matter of moral responsibility but also a crucial factor in maintaining the  integrity of international supply chain”.

He called for enhanced security measures which are vital in protecting vessels from piracy and unlawful acts.

“Undoubtedly the collective efforts of the EU in ensuring maritime security, upholding the rule of law and fostering cooperation is more needed now than ever”, he added.