Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides officially assumed his role on Wednesday with President Nikos Christodoulides highlighting that Ioannides is taking on one of Europe’s biggest challenges.

The handover was conducted by Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, whose ministry had previously managed all migration and asylum matters.

“Today marks the inauguration of the deputy ministry of migration and international protection. We hope this will contribute to the more effective management of migration and refugee flows,” the president said.

“At the same time, we are implementing another important action from our governance programme, addressing a major issue with complex challenges and specificities.”

He added that the issue of migration and refugees is affecting many countries in Europe, “making it one of the most substantial challenges facing the European Unions today”.

He said this challenge is driven by an unstable geopolitical environment, climate change, political instability in African countries, and other factors, which will continue to be a concern both for Europe and globally.

“From the first day we took office, we have taken a holistic approach, with the key objective of stopping our country from being considered an attractive destination for migrants,” the president said.

He noted that Cyprus has succeeded in reducing migrant numbers and arrivals.

“Our planning has been based on specific actions, as we promised in our election manifesto: reducing flows, fast processing of asylum applications, immediate repatriation of those who are not eligible and improving the infrastructure for the accommodation of civil protection applicants,” Christodoulides said.

He mentioned that the country has faced “suffocating pressure” due to its policies, but they have proven effective, with arrivals down by 50 per cent, a 65 per cent decrease via the Green Line, and returns increased by 66 per cent.

Christodoulides thanked Ioannou for the work he did in preparation for the creation of the deputy ministry and in reducing the numbers.

He said that Ioannides is taking on an important role.

Ioannou said that the consolidation of all services in a deputy ministry will have substantial and practical benefits in terms of planning, supervision, coordination and generally better operation.

He said that when he took over the migration portfolio 15 months ago, Cyprus was under disproportionate migratory pressure due to the massive migrant arrivals, citing as an example that from 2021 to 2022, migrant arrivals had doubled, and Cyprus was receiving around 1,800 migrants per month.

As a result, Ioannou continued, the reception and hospitality structures had exceeded their limits, citing as an example the Pournara Reception Centre which at its height hosted more than 3,000 people.

“We have focused over the last 15 months on specific pillars aimed at reducing arrivals, increasing returns, improving infrastructure and speeding up asylum examinations,” Ioannou said.

“The picture today is clearly improved,” Ioannou said.

“For the first time in the history of migration in Cyprus, more people are leaving than coming,” he added.

Ioannides said he was taking on his duties with the full awareness of the seriousness of the issues involved in this portfolio.

“I assure all of you that I will do my utmost to carry out this difficult task. The citizens of the Republic of Cyprus can be assured that I will safeguard the interests of the state, within the framework of legality and with respect for the individual.”