President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, has presented the official Government Programme for 2026 announcing actions in five priority sectors and more than fifty-five measures, with important projects and initiatives that affect the daily lives of citizens.
During his 'State of the Union' address that was broadcasted on television and online on the evening of 5 February, he also referred to the highest goal which is the solution of the Cyprus issue, the liberation and reunification of our country on the basis of the agreed framework noting that "our position is clear and our goal is non-negotiable".
Presenting the official governance agenda 2026 at the Presidential Palace, before the members of the Council of Ministers, state officials, members of diplomatic missions, and many others, the President said that we seek a solution of the Cyprus issue within the framework of United Nations resolutions, in line with the principles, values and law of the European Union, "that will truly reunite our homeland".
"I am fully prepared" he stressed, "within this framework, to resume negotiations, even tomorrow, from the point where they were interrupted in Crans Montana, on the basis of the UN SG's framework and the negotiating acquis. For us, and this is the message I wish to send tonight, there is no alternative to the reunification of our homeland and our people, except through a functional and sustainable solution".
The President said he was "cautiously optimistic" that the effort that is underway, "following our own initiatives and our clear political will, can - without overlooking the challenges and difficulties- lead to positive results".
He announced that the governance agenda for 2026, includes more than fifty-five political actions, with important projects and initiatives that affect the daily lives of citizens. Our highest goal, he underlined, is security in the economy, in work, in education, in health, in every aspect of our daily lives.
All policies planned for 2026 are costed and implementable, and are based on the five priorities, he said, namely, first, a foreign policy with a clear European - Western orientation, a strong defence and security, second, a resilient and strong economy, third, the modernization of the state, with an emphasis on continuous reforms and digital transformation, fourth, transparency, accountability and prevention of corruption, and fifth, the well-being of the citizens and improvement of their daily life through policies for health, education, housing, and the welfare state.
First priority
Regarding the first priority on foreign policy, strong defence and security the President said that "by general admission, the international status of the Republic of Cyprus is being upgraded, thanks to our multidimensional foreign policy with a clear European-Western orientation".
In 2026, he added, the government will continue to invest in the country's further extroversion and the Republic of Cyprus, given the opportunity of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will strengthen its footprint in Brussels while at the same time deepening its relations with the countries of the region.
Following the emphasis placed on the African continent in 2025, in 2026 the Republic of Cyprus will seek to deepen its relations with countries of special interest, including India and the states of Central Asia, he pointed out. He announced that he will visit India in May, at the invitation of the Indian Prime Minister, following his historic visit to Cyprus.
In the energy sector, he announced that in 2026 the signing of the Agreement with Israel for the development and exploitation of the “Aphrodite” gas field is expected to take place. The detailed planning for the development of the gas field is also expected to be completed within 2026.
In the coming months, developments are also expected for the "Kronos" gas field, and more specifically, for the export of Cypriot natural gas to Europe, while the signing of the commercial agreements for the "Kronos" and "Aphrodite" fields is planned for March.
Moreover, he said that this year efforts continue to complete the technical requirements for the full accession of Cyprus in the Schengen Area that will further strengthen our security.
The President described the strengthening of the deterrent power of the National Guard as an issue of national importance in an era of geopolitical instability, and said among other things that in 2026, the tender for the upgrade of the “Evangelos Florakis” Naval Base and the modernization of the “Andreas Papandreou” Air Base will be announced, in cooperation with the European Union and the United States.
At the same time, the European SAFE program will be utilized with a total funding of 1.2 billion euros, for the acquisition of modern equipment, which will upgrade the defense armor of Cyprus and support the Cypriot defence industry. He also referred to the opportunities that arise through the participation of the Republic of Cyprus in US armament programs.
Regarding migration, he stressed that as a result of the government's policies, Cyprus is no longer considered an attractive destination, and referred to the government's decision to remove the subsidiary protection status or residence permit from foreigners who commit criminal offenses, with the aim of their immediate repatriation.
Cyprus, he said, is particularly affected by climate change and noted that in 2026, the government will install three additional mobile desalination units, strengthening its water balance with 50,000 cubic meters of water per day, while all necessary studies are being prepared with the aim of building additional permanent desalination projects.
Second priority
The second priority on a resilient and strong economy, includes the pension reform in 2026, which the President described as yet one more 'emblematic reform' after the tax reform. Referring to Innovation and Entrepreneurship, he stressed that Cyprus ranks 1st in Southern Europe and 15th worldwide, while it is in 1st place in the European Union in Taxation and in 2nd place in terms of Entrepreneurship Incentives for innovative businesses. He also said in 2026 the privatization of the Cyprus Stock Exchange will proceed.
The government, he underlined, works steadily and methodically so that the country strengthens its role as a transit hub in the wider region and announced the decision to create a modern Supply Chain network that will operate in synergy with the country's Ports and Airports.
A "central element of this great effort", he added, is the development of special supply and storage zones at the airports of Larnaka and Pafos. This is an initiative, he pointed out, that highlights our country as a strategic partner in the India-Middle East-Europe (IMEC) corridor but also substantially strengthens its position as Europe's entry point for the markets of Asia and Africa.
Moreover, he said that in order to serve the local economy and further expand the productive sector, the government is promoting the construction of the port in Vasilikos, for which tenders for construction work will be announced in 2026, while studies for the development of the port of Larnaka are also being completed.
Referring to tourism, he said that 2025 was a record year in both arrivals and revenue, and added that the government is working to upgrade the tourism model, highlighting new destinations for all year tourism.
Third priority
As regards the third priority on the modernization of the state, reforms and digital transformation, the President said that following the important services already offered digitally, more than 100 new digital services will be introduced in 2026, and the “Digital Citizen” application, which currently serves over 135,000 citizens, is also being upgraded, adding new services, such as the purchase of tickets for sports matches and child identity.
In relation to Artificial Intelligence, the President of the Republic announced that an action plan is being implemented and that the first Cypriot AI Factory will be put into operation in the immediate future, providing access to supercomputing infrastructure. Moreover, he said that the creation of a national supercomputer is being promoted, in collaboration with a US company.
Fourth priority
The fourth priority, namely transparency, accountability, combating corruption, includes the creation of a National Mechanism for the Control of Foreign Direct Investments. The President expressed satisfaction with the fact that Cyprus is strengthening its credibility at the international level, as shown by the recent reports of GRECO and the European Union on the Rule of Law, “which we approach as the guiding framework for the implementation of the necessary reforms”.
He announced that within 2026 the government is proceeding with the creation of a National Mechanism for the Control of Foreign Direct Investments, with the aim of further strengthening transparency and national security.
Fifth priority
For the fifth priority on citizens' well-being, health, education, housing and the welfare state, he announced among other things, a pilot implementation of the Free Breakfast in Kindergartens programme, as well as the introduction of the Social Worker in Primary and Secondary Education schools.
Regarding culture, the President stated that in 2026 a budget of 15 million euro, increased by 20%, is available to support cultural institutions and creators; while referring to Sports, he pointed out the continuation of investment in projects that leave a positive imprint on the future of our country, with particular emphasis on our athletes and the sports infrastructure. As regards the health sector, the President referred to the development programme of 145 million euro, for the substantial improvement of public hospitals in all districts.
The government has so far invested over 300 million euro in housing, he said, adding that Cyprus will utilize the plan for housing presented by the European Union, following an initiative by Nicosia while the “Build to Rent” programme, will create approximately 2,000 new housing units within two years. He also referred to new highways and infrastructure projects.
In 2026, he said, social expenditure increased by 6%, following a corresponding increase in 2025 and announced measures for young families, students, the elderly, as well as citizens with disabilities.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
(Source: CNA)
