Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community: Commission adopts second Action Programme for 2020

August 25, 2020 by The Sting's Team Leave a Comment

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

The Commission is adopting today a second Annual Action Programme for aid to the Turkish Cypriot community. This second Action Programme is worth a total amount of €31.6 million to support new projects that facilitate the reunification of Cyprus. It comes in addition to the €5 million that was approved earlier this year.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “Projects under the Aid Programme aim to improve infrastructure, support economic development, foster reconciliation, and bring Turkish Cypriots closer to the EU. I am confident that they will contribute to efforts for a reunification of Cyprus, which is one of the main goals of our assistance.”

The priorities of the programme include support for the preparation and financing of key infrastructure projects and for environmental protection. Further measures are planned for the improvement of the electricity grid used by the Turkish Cypriot community and for an economic stimulus package with short and longer-term support, focusing on a sustainable and resilient greener economy in response to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Support will also be provided for improving food safety, the provision of statistical data, special needs education and lifelong learning.

With a view to building confidence between the Turkish and Greek communities in Cyprus, the programme will continue to provide substantial financing for the Committee on Missing Persons and the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage. In addition, continuous support for civil society will help to enhance island-wide cooperation between NGOs and inspire further bi-communal activities, thereby contributing to the process of reunification. Finally, a bi-communal scholarship programme will provide for increased interactions and shared learning experiences between the youth from both communities.

Background

The EU provides assistance to the Turkish Cypriot community through the EU Aid Programme. The objective of the programme is to encourage the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community with particular emphasis on the economic integration of the island, and on improving contacts between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities on the one hand, and with the EU on the other.

Between 2006 and 2020, €591 million has been allocated for projects under the Aid Programme. The programme aims to facilitate the reunification of Cyprus by encouraging the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community. It is managed by the Commission’s DG REFORM.

The first Action Programme adopted earlier this year covered the emergency economic support for micro and small businesses following the coronavirus outbreak. It also provided continuous support for the TAIEX instrument to prepare the Turkish Cypriot community for the future application of European Union law.

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Countries adopted on Saturday a new global blueprint for tackling rapidly evolving forms of crime, as the UN’s largest gathering on crime prevention and criminal justice opened in Abu Dhabi with a call for stronger international cooperation. The Abu Dhabi Declaration was adopted by acclamation at the opening of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, bringing governments together around challenges ranging from cybercrime and fraud to the growing criminal exploitation of digital technology. The Declaration highlights an increasingly complex landscape in which services, infrastructure and technology can be exploited by criminals, including emerging trends described as “crime as a service” and “violence as a service”. At the same time, countries committed to making greater use of technology themselves, including by digitalizing justice systems and harnessing artificial intelligence in criminal justice responses. The Declaration stresses that safeguards must accompany those changes, including human oversight, transparency, due process and data protection. ‘Justice cannot be a privilege’ In a video message to the Congress, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the meeting was taking place at a time of profound change. “Justice cannot be a privilege. It must protect every person, uphold every person’s rights and leave no one behind,” said Ms. Mohamed. “This Congress is an opportunity to renew our shared commitment to justice and the rule of law, and to translate that commitment into action.” Countries are already being encouraged to put the Declaration into practice through the voluntary Pledge4Justice initiative, under which participating governments are announcing concrete, time-bound actions on crime prevention and criminal justice through 2031. The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre with its curved glass tower and surrounding buildings reflected in calm water at dusk. UNODC The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre where the 15th UN Crime Congress is set to take place. From Kyoto to Abu Dhabi Opening the Congress, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Monica Juma framed the gathering as both a response to a changing criminal landscape and a test of international cooperation. “Today, the world convenes in Abu Dhabi to reaffirm that the rule of law and criminal justice are essential to the safety and security of people and the planet,” said Ms. Juma. “At a time when confidence in multilateralism is faltering, let Abu Dhabi be a testament to international cooperation.” Five years after the previous Congress in Kyoto, Japan, Ms. Juma said the world had reached another “inflection point”, with technology and artificial intelligence advancing at extraordinary speed. The same platforms connecting billions of people can also connect criminals, she warned, while digital currencies can conceal illicit profits and digital tools can be used to deceive, manipulate and exploit. Technology, she argued, is not simply accelerating crime but changing its character, while organized criminal networks increasingly exploit weaknesses across borders and institutions. Tweet URL Protecting people as the ‘north star’ Behind those broad trends, Ms. Juma urged delegates to focus on the people most exposed to harm, including children recruited by gangs, women facing violence at home or online, people unable to obtain legal assistance and young people lured into scam networks with promises of a better future. “Protecting these people must be the measure against which we judge our efforts over the coming week,” she said. “It must be our north star.” She called for laws and institutions capable of keeping pace with changing threats, greater access to justice and legal aid, and technology that serves as “a force for good” rather than an accelerator of harm. And while welcoming the Abu Dhabi Declaration as a starting point, Ms. Juma stressed that its impact would ultimately depend on implementation. A week focused on justice Hosted by the United Arab Emirates, the Congress runs through 1 October under the theme Protecting People and Planet in the Digital Age. Some 119 countries are represented, alongside more than 40 justice ministers and other senior officials, with over 5,100 participants from governments, civil society, academia and the private sector. Plenary meetings, workshops, side events and exhibitions will run throughout the session. Organizers are also billing this as the most youth-inclusive Crime Congress yet. Young people are participating in workshops, contributing to follow-up efforts and taking part in a dedicated Youth Lab and art exhibition, following a Youth Forum held ahead of the Congress on 24 and 25 September. UNODC serves as secretariat of the Congress and will support implementation of the Abu Dhabi Declaration.

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