Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides is to pay an official visit to Bahrain on January 25 and 26, at the invitation of the King of Bahrain, according to a written statement by Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, who noted that eight agreements and memoranda of cooperation will be signed on education, culture, tourism, military cooperation, and search and rescue.
The visit forms part of the Government’s strategy to strengthen and deepen the Republic of Cyprus’ relations with the Gulf states and ‘also constitutes a clear reaffirmation of the political will to further upgrade cooperation with Bahrain at political, economic, energy, cultural and defence levels,’ the Spokesperson said.
‘Bilateral cooperation has been developing steadily and systematically in recent years’, he said, adding that a culmination of this process was the decision to establish an Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Manama at the end of 2023, as well as the present official visit by the President of the Republic, he added.
According to the Spokesperson, the Republic of Cyprus and Bahrain have drawn up a Joint Action Plan setting out the full range of initiatives being promoted, ‘establishing a clear and specific framework for deepening cooperation between the two countries’.
The signing during the President’s visit of eight agreements and memoranda of cooperation, covering among other areas such as education, culture, tourism, military cooperation and search and rescue, ‘demonstrates in practice the momentum of this relationship and confirms the determination of both sides to translate political dialogue into concrete and measurable cooperation,’ he noted.
During his visit, President Christodoulides will meet with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at Gudaibiya Palace, where, following the official welcoming ceremony, a private meeting will be held, to be followed by expanded talks between the delegations of the two countries. Discussions will focus on bilateral relations, regional and international developments, the Cyprus issue, as well as relations between the European Union and Bahrain, according Letymbiotis.
At the same time, the President will brief his interlocutors on the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, with emphasis on strengthening EU relations with the Middle East and the Gulf states.
As part of the visit, the President will also attend and address the Cyprus-Bahrain Business Forum, aimed at further enhancing economic, business and investment relations between the two countries, particularly in sectors where there is already strong mutual investment interest. He will also visit Bahrain’s state Investment Fund, where views will be exchanged on attracting quality investments and potential areas of cooperation.
‘Particular significance is also attached to the inauguration ceremony of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Manama, in the presence of the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, which further strengthens the prospects for institutional cooperation, political dialogue and economic diplomacy within the framework of bilateral relations,’ the Spokesperson said.
The official visit to Bahrain, he said, reflects the strategic choice of the Republic of Cyprus to strengthen its role as a reliable and active partner in the wider region, to contribute to the deepening of relations between the EU and the Gulf states, and to use the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU ‘as a platform for promoting stability and cooperation,’ he added.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and of Energy, Commerce and Industry, the Government Spokesperson, the Deputy Minister to the President, the National Security Adviser, the Director of the President’s Diplomatic Office and senior officials will accompany President Christodoulides to Bahrain.