Cyprus and US to hold ‘informational meeting’ over Amalthea plan

Cyprus and the United States are to hold an “informational meeting” over the Amalthea initiative at the United Nations next Wednesday, according to reports.

Newspaper Phileleftheros on Friday reported that the US’ mission to the UN invited other permanent delegations in New York to attend the meeting.

The meeting will be led by Cyprus’ permanent representative at the UN Maria Michael, while the head of the US’ National Security Council Curtis Ried and other American officials will also be in attendance.

The reports of the planned meeting come after Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said the government is in talks with “all involved parties” as part of its efforts to resume the maritime aid corridor to Gaza.

Fundraising efforts are ongoing at the same time, with the United Arab Emirates having allocated $15 million (€14m) to the Amalthea fund, which is to finance the initiative.

Kombos said on Thursday that the purpose of the fund is “to manage all purchases and services” related to the initiative and added that it will be overseen by a three-pronged council consisting of a management unit, an implementing agency, and an audit body.

One of the key elements of maintaining and expanding the corridor is the construction of a temporary jetty off the coast of Gaza. American forces are constructing the jetty, with its expected date of completion currently set at April 20.

Once the jetty is fully operational, Kombos said, ““over 1,500 tonnes a week [of aid] are expected, and this can be increased.”

Also on Thursday, a team of US congressmen penned a bipartisan letter to the country’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing support for the corridor.

They said the initiative “allows aid and supplies to flow from staging areas in the Republic of Cyprus to ports in Gaza, presenting a critical opportunity to provide short-term relief to prevent a humanitarian crisis.”

They added that it ensures “long-term regional stability”, while also addressing Israel’s security concerns and “preventing Hamas from replenishing its military capabilities or resources.”

The future of the Amalthea initiative had been thrown into doubt at the beginning of the month when Israel killed seven aid workers in three strikes on their vehicles.

Spanish charity Open Arms and and NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK), both of which were heavily involved in the initiative, suspended their operations in the wake of the killings.

At the same time, 240 tonnes of aid which had arrived in Gaza to be distributed by WCK aid workers ended up being returned to Cyprus.

However, with both the US and the United Kingdom seemingly moving forward with the Amalthea initiative as well as other humanitarian aid routes into Gaza, the corridor’s future now looks more secure.