The “Cyprus Center for Land Open Seas and Port Security” (CYCLOPS) is a Republic of Cyprus-owned training facility situated in Larnaca. The project was established in close cooperation with the Government of the United States, as provided for by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States, signed on September 12, 2020.
Funding for the construction and technical equipment of the CYCLOPS Training Center has been provided by the US State Department’s Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program, while the Republic of Cyprus provided the land for its construction and took ownership and responsibility of the facility, via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once construction work was completed on February 28, 2022. CYCLOPS was inaugurated on April 6, 2022.
The objective of this state-of-the art Training Facility is to bolster security capacity-building in Cyprus, the EU, the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, and beyond. Taking into consideration evolving security goals and challenges facing the international community, CYCLOPS cooperates with international partners in offering training in various areas related to non-military security and safety, including customs and exports control, port and maritime security, CBRN-E, and cybersecurity.
The Center has a modular structure, incorporating an already-existing American model for trainings in the aforementioned areas. In making use of the state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including a cybersecurity mobile lab in Nicosia, CYCLOPS provides the required skills and capabilities, in addressing security related challenges in a holistic approach.
The trainings follow the “Train the Trainers” model, enabling Cypriots to become trainers themselves, and officials from partner countries to become trainers of the different programs in their home countries. Hence, via CYCLOPS, Cyprus contributes to the establishment of a network of skilled security practitioners promoting and circulating the acquired know-how and expertise.
Currently, the Center has established partnerships with US agencies, as well as with the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) and the Container Control Programme (CCP) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Since its inauguration, CYCLOPS has facilitated various training programs offered by these partners to officials from Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.
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