Cyprus and Egypt personnel complete two maritime security courses, including CBRN

Personnel from Cyprus and Egypt have completed two specialised courses designed to improve their readiness for maritime security threats and their ability to operate together, according to the Cyprus Centre for Land, Open Seas and Port Security (CYCLOPS).

In a post on social media, CYCLOPS said participants included Egyptian Navy personnel and members of Egypt’s Border Guard Corps, together with personnel serving in the Cyprus Navy and the Cypriot maritime police. The courses addressed visit, board, search and seizure operations and CBRN threats.

According to an article by Cyprus Inform, CYCLOPS said the training sought to increase operational readiness, enable participating forces to work together more effectively and strengthen regional security through cooperation between countries.

Justice minister Costas Fytiris attended the ceremony marking completion of the courses, as did the commander of Egypt’s Border Guard Corps.

Based in Larnaca, CYCLOPS was created through collaboration between Cyprus and the United States under an agreement reached in 2020. It was inaugurated in April 2022. A US State Department programme financed construction and equipment, while Cyprus’s foreign ministry owns the facility and runs it.