Joint defence programme with UK and Cyprus

A strategic leadership programme is to be held at the ministry of defence in collaboration with the UK, it was announced on Tuesday.

The UK High Commission in Cyprus, the UK Defence Academy and Cranfield University, are organising the programme jointly with the ministry’s Defence and Security Academy.

The opening ceremony for the event was addressed on Monday by director of the defence ministry, Panayiotis Symeou on behalf of Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas and British High Commissioner to Cyprus, Irfan Siddiq OBE, in the presence of ambassadors and diplomats.

Participants include civilian and military personnel from the ministry, the national guard, the police, civil aviation and the customs and excise department on behalf of Cyprus and Unficyp.

Senior officers from the armed forces of Greece, Jordan, Lebanon and the United Kingdom are also participating, as well as officers from the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar who are participating in the training for the first time.

The objective of the programme is “to strengthen leadership and management at a strategic level in defence and the wider security sector, as well as to prepare future senior defence officials and operatives with the necessary tools and skills for strategic decision-making,” the press release stated.

The event, being held from 29 January to February 2, is part of a memorandum of defence cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the United Kingdom.