Cyprus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated an emergency repatriation plan aimed at bringing home Cypriot nationals caught in the rapidly-deteriorating security situation across the Middle East. Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters that charter flights coordinated with UAE aviation authorities will start operating from 5 March, following final clearance of flight paths and insurance cover. The first phase focuses on Cypriots who registered their whereabouts on the online ConnectCy platform and who can reach Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cairo or Amman. Officials said the National Crisis Management Centre has already contacted more than 400 citizens and permanent residents, including business travellers who were attending the Dubai Logistics Forum when hostilities escalated. Passengers will be grouped by location and vulnerability, with medical cases and families with children given priority seats on the initial flights. The Foreign Ministry confirmed that the programme is being run in close cooperation with local carriers Cyprus Airways and TUS Airways, as well as international partners EgyptAir and Royal Jordanian. Cypriot diplomats in Dubai and Cairo will provide temporary travel documents for those whose passports were lost or confiscated when borders closed suddenly last weekend. Although the government will underwrite the cost of the outbound charters, return travel to hometowns within Cyprus will be at travellers’ own expense. Companies with staff on assignment in the Gulf are being encouraged to activate duty-of-care protocols and liaise with insurers to recoup costs. The ministry warned that flight schedules could change at short notice if regional air-defence warnings intensify, and urged citizens to ‘remain on standby and keep phones charged’.
Source: Cyprus Business News (CBN)
