The Cypriot construction sector was taken by surprise, and some frustration, following President Nikos Christodoulides’ announcement at the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt that Cyprus has a specific plan which includes the participation of Cypriot companies in the reconstruction of the war-torn enclave.
“We want Cypriot companies to have a role in rebuilding the country,” Christodoulides said.
However, industry sources told Politis that no such plan has been communicated to them, adding that the sector was unaware of any government initiative and, more importantly, that Cypriot firms currently lack the capacity to undertake foreign projects due to shortages of funding and, above all, skilled labour.
“The construction industry already has very limited capacity to take on additional projects domestically, let alone abroad,” sector insiders said, attributing the strain to the high volume of public and private projects currently under way across Cyprus. This has led to rising costs for materials and labour and delays in project delivery, they noted, describing the market as “overheated”, a situation “usually seen during times of crisis.”
The president of ETEK, the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber, Constantinos Constanti, confirmed to Politis that the chamber has not been informed of any government plan for Cypriot participation in Gaza’s reconstruction. “We expect to be briefed and will comment accordingly,” he said.
From the Presidential Palace, government sources clarified to Politis that a mapping exercise has been completed to identify the areas in which Cyprus could contribute to Gaza’s rebuilding efforts. Further details, they said, would be announced after the president presents his proposals at the Peace Summit for Gaza.