Deputy Minister of Immigration and International Protection, Dr. Nicholas Ioannides held a meeting in Nicosia with Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans at the US Department of Homeland Security, Rob Law, with whom he discussed issues concerning immigration, border security.
According to a press release by the Deputy Ministry during the Tuesday, 14 July meeting, the two officials confirmed the high level of relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States of America as well as the common will to further strengthen cooperation on issues of migration, border security and addressing common challenges.
Particular emphasis, it is added, was placed on the management of migration flows, the effective implementation of asylum and return procedures, the fight against criminal networks of migrant smuggling, as well as the importance of timely exchange of information and coordination between the competent authorities.
The two sides, it says, also exchanged views on the modern technological and digital tools to enhance the security, efficiency and interoperability of services involved in migration and border management. They also discussed the possibilities for further exchange of know-how and good practices between the competent services of the Republic of Cyprus and the United States.
The Cypriot Deputy Minister informed the US official about the policies and actions implemented by the Republic of Cyprus for migration management, which include the protection of external borders, the rapid examination of asylum applications, the return of those who do not have a legal right to stay in the country and the strengthening of legal migration channels.
He also underlined the special role of Cyprus, a member state of the European Union in the Eastern Mediterranean, as a pillar of stability and as a reliable partner of the United States in a region of increased geopolitical and migration challenges.
According to the press release, Law, who is visiting Cyprus as part of his contacts in the wider region, congratulated the Republic of Cyprus on the excellent results of its migration policy, as well as on the achievements of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the field of migration.
Ioannides and Law agreed on the importance of continuing the dialogue and further deepening the cooperation between the two countries, with the aim of strengthening security, institutional resilience and effective migration management, the press release concludes.
(Source: CNA)
