Türkiye, TRNC deepen cooperation in disaster response, security, digital governance

NICOSIA / ISTANBUL

Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz met with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Ersin Tatar on Saturday at the Presidential Complex in Nicosia and discussed efforts to boost bilateral cooperation.

In a post following the meeting, Yılmaz said they discussed “steps to further strengthen Türkiye-TRNC relations in every field,” as well as regional developments, future economic cooperation, and digital transformation in public services.

Turkish Vice President Yılmaz also attended a Türkiye-TRNC police service vehicle handover ceremony.

In his speech, Yılmaz said they proudly marked the 454th anniversary of the conquest of Cyprus, as well as the founding anniversaries of the Turkish Resistance Organization and the Security Forces Command, celebrated on Aug. 1 as the Day of Social Resistance.

He emphasized that under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s leadership, Türkiye continues to stand by the Turkish Cypriots in all areas—from education and healthcare to transportation, infrastructure, energy, and agriculture.

Yılmaz noted that Türkiye-TRNC cooperation includes sharing expertise in public services, coordination during natural disasters, and the provision of equipment and vehicles.

“Under the spirit of Türkiye-TRNC cooperation, we are putting 29 new vehicles into service today—24 service vehicles and 5 fire trucks,” he said. “Of the 24 police service vehicles we donated, 12 were supplied under the Financial Support Program.”

Yılmaz said that, in addition to the vehicles, 19 types of technical equipment, fingerprint scanners, mobile systems, IT infrastructure support, and uniforms for motorcycle police were also provided, enhancing both institutional capacity and working conditions in the field.

“A central unit has been established. With GöçNet integration and six mobile migration vehicles, border security in the TRNC is now much stronger, and efforts against irregular migration are far more effective, just as we are intensifying this fight in Türkiye,” he added.

The vice president also attended the opening of the TRNC Earthquake Monitoring and Assessment Center in the capital Nicosia, established with the support of Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

Yılmaz said they take pride in AFAD’s work and emphasized that Türkiye’s technical expertise will be shared with the TRNC. Noting that both countries lie in seismic zones, he stressed the importance of managing all phases of an earthquake effectively.

Yılmaz also posted on X that the center, strengthened with nationally developed software, has brought the TRNC a science-based and data-driven earthquake analysis infrastructure.

“The system offers not only monitoring, but also critical capabilities for early warning, damage assessment, and crisis management,” he noted.

TRNC President Ersin Tatar, also speaking at the opening ceremony, emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness across all institutions and thanked Türkiye for its steps to enhance the TRNC’s capacity.

Highlighting the center’s value, Tatar said: “We can cooperate with the Greek Cypriot Administration in all areas, especially in response to natural disasters. This center established in the TRNC has greatly supported us. I thank all those involved.”