• Cyprus’ defense minister, Vassilis Palmas, announced plans to build a major naval base on the southern coast of the island.
• The base will host large ships from EU countries and other nations, facilitating missions including humanitarian aid deliveries to the Middle East.
• Cyprus’ geopolitical role as the closest EU member to the Middle East justifies the construction of infrastructure supporting regional policies.

On Wednesday, Cyprus’ defense minister announced plans to build a major naval base on the island nation’s southern coast in the eastern Mediterranean. The base aims to host large ships from European Union countries and other nations, facilitating various missions including humanitarian aid deliveries to the turbulent Middle East region.

Vasilis Palmas told reporters that Cyprus’ recently elevated geopolitical role as the European Union’s closest member to the Middle East justifies the building of infrastructure that can support policies geared toward the region.

In recent months, Cyprus has used the staging ground for collecting and delivering donated humanitarian aid to war-ravaged Gaza. The aid undergoes security screening at the Cypriot port of Larnaca before being shipped to the Palestinian territory. Last year, Cyprus also acted as a waystation for evacuating third-country nationals from Sudan.

Palmas stated that the construction of the base would “decisively contribute” to policy implementation in the region.

He said Greece is providing technical know-how to the project, and the actual construction will follow the recommendations of an expert study expected to conclude in the next few days.

The naval base will be constructed on an existing naval installation located approximately 25 kilometers (15 miles) east of the coastal town of Limassol. In 2011, Limassol was the site of a massive explosion involving 480 tons of seized Iranian gunpowder, which resulted in the deaths of 13 people, the destruction of Cyprus’ main power station, and sparked a political crisis.

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