CyprusAid is the Development Cooperation Service of the Republic of Cyprus, established by the Council of Ministers in 2005. CyprusAid functions within the framework of a policy making mechanism that has been put in place in order to steer Cyprus’ Official Development Assistance. This policy mechanism is one that retains a high degree of centralisation in the decision making process, while at the same time allows for a more decentralized approach in the aid delivery arrangements.
For the period 2005-mid 2013, CyprusAid’s mechanism comprised of a Coordination Body (CB) headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and having the Minister of Finance and the Permanent Secretary of the Planning Bureau as members. The CB was responsible for the setting of targets (quantitative, territorial and sectoral) on the basis of international obligations, EU policy recommendations and national priorities. The Planning Bureau was responsible for the preparation of policy preparation, as well as the managment and implementation of the decisions of the CB while the MFA was responsible for representing the Republic abroad and also for publicizing the Republic of Cyprus ODA activities. A second body, headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and comprised of representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Labour and Social Insurance, Education and Culture and the Planning Bureau, as well as representatives of civil society, acted in a consultative capacity to the Coordination Body.
Given the changes in the competencies of the Planning Bureau, now renamed to Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development, its responsibilities for the implementation of the CyprusAid programme, have been transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic, which is now responsible for both the setting of Cyprus’ ODA policy as well as for its implementation. The decision of the Council of Ministers with no. 75.141, dated 24/5/2013 is relevant.