He and fellow Agriculture Minister Costas Kadis stressed the importance of hosting the summit for the first time in Cyprus and the wider Mediterranean region.

The UN Ministerial Conference, which meets every five years, began 30 years ago and is held a year late after being postponed due to the pandemic.

This year, the Nicosia event focuses on the environment, with the cooperation of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

A total of 63 countries will attend, with more than 70 high-ranking officials from international organisations in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

The registered participants have exceeded 1,000.

Prodromou said it is “indisputably a very important event for Cyprus, but also internationally, for the sustainability of the planet”.

“At the beginning of October, Cyprus will be the focus of the international community by hosting this summit which revolves around issues of sustainability and the environment.”

Kadis said the main objectives of Cyprus are the successful organisation of such an important and far-reaching summit and the drafting of important conclusions, which will contribute to the protection of the environment and “strengthen our effort for sustainable development in Europe”.

He said it is an honour that Cyprus was selected as the host of the 9th summit.

Referring to the experience of his participation in the previous UNECE Summit, which took place in Georgia in 2016, he noted, “the declarations of that Summit were a point of reference for the countries of the UNECE when forming their national policies”.

“We aspire to have an even more expanded representation and very important results.”

Source: Financial Mirror