Cypriot diaspora the ‘best ambassadors’

Cypriots abroad are the “best ambassadors” for the country’s interests, foreign ministry permanent secretary, Andreas Kakouris said on Wednesday.

Commenting at the world conference for overseas Cypriots, Kakouris said that the country is also developing a new strategy for cooperation with overseas Cypriots.

“The diaspora is a vital, important component of our work and expatriates are considered the best ambassadors of our country’s interests,” he said.

It is for this reason that the ministry is preparing a new strategy for cooperation with expatriates, based on the challenges faced by both the expatriates and the Republic of Cyprus under the burden of the continued Turkish occupation and the aim to use its foreign policy to achieve its main goal of reunification.

Kakouris said that this new basis for cooperation, which will be jointly structured with the expatriates, will aim to strengthen meaningful dialogue and interaction on a transparent basis.

He also praised the role of the diaspora, saying that “your assistance as conveyors of the messages of the Republic of Cyprus is invaluable.”

The conference started with a presentation of the programme of the 30th Session of the Pomak-Pseka (the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots – Pomak and the International Coordinating Committee “Justice for Cyprus” – Pseka) Central Council with the Election of the Committee for Documents and Resolutions and the Report of the Federations’ Actions.

Representatives of the federations from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, USA, Africa, Greece, and France reported on the actions of their federations and the problems they face.