Relations between Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates ‘are today at the highest level in their history’, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, said on Thursday in a written statement, following the conclusion of the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides’, visit to Abu Dhabi.
According to the Spokesperson, the visit of the President to the United Arab Emirates and his meeting with the President of the UAE, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan took place ‘at a critical time for the security and stability of the wider region’. During the meeting, he added, the next milestones in bilateral co-operation were discussed, with emphasis on the Joint Action Plan between Cyprus and the UAE for 2026-2030.
The visit, he noted, ‘constituted a tangible expression of solidarity by the Republic of Cyprus towards the UAE, following the unjustified attacks it has suffered, and has reaffirmed Cyprus’ support for the security, stability and sovereignty of a strategic partner’.
‘From the very outset of the crisis there has been continuous contact and co-ordination between the two countries,’ the Spokesperson said, noting that the visit of the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and his meeting with President Christodoulides in Cyprus on 9 March, as well as the visit of the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus to the UAE on 12 March, ‘confirmed in practice the immediacy of communication and the high level of trust that characterises relations between Nicosia and Abu Dhabi’.
According to Letymbiotis, relations between Cyprus and the UAE have in recent years acquired ‘genuine strategic depth. They are founded on sincerity, continuity, steady political co-ordination and the shared understanding that co-operation serves substantial and mutual interests,’ he said.
The Spokesperson added that during the meeting between the two leaders, the latest regional developments were discussed, together with the need for de-escalation, the prevention of further escalation, and the importance of maritime security. ‘The Republic of Cyprus supports international initiatives aimed at safeguarding navigation and preserving regional security, based on the consistent position that the stability of the Gulf is directly linked to the security of Europe,’ he noted.
He further said that the visit assumes added significance considering Cyprus’ EU Presidency. ‘Cyprus has set as a key priority the deepening of EU co-operation with the states of the wider region, making use of its geography, its relationships and its European identity in order to act as a reliable bridge between Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf,’ the Spokesperson added.
He also noted that relations between Cyprus and the UAE ‘are today at the highest level in their history’. Co-operation on the humanitarian corridor ‘Amalthea’, the UAE’s contribution in providing mobile desalination units to Cyprus, the signing of a Strategic Agreement, and the historic visit of the UAE President to Cyprus ‘constitute tangible evidence of the depth, dynamism and prospects of this relationship’, he added.
During the meeting, he said, the next stages of bilateral co-operation were also discussed, with emphasis on the Joint Action Plan between Cyprus and the UAE for 2026-2030. ‘This is a specific roadmap for co-operation, with initiatives in the fields of trade, investment, energy, defence, shipping, infrastructure, tourism, culture and education. Prospects are identified in energy co-operation, as well as in the exchange of expertise on defence and security matters,’ the Spokesperson said.
At the same time, the two Presidents exchanged views on the opportunities arising from the strategic connectivity between India, the Middle East and Europe within the framework of IMEC, he noted. ‘Cyprus and the UAE, together with other partners in the region, particularly in the Mediterranean, can make a substantial contribution to the shaping of reliable connectivity routes relating to trade, energy, digital infrastructure, supply chains and the interconnection of the Eastern Mediterranean with the Gulf and Asia,’ he said.
According to Letymbiotis, the conclusion of the visit ‘confirms that the strategic relationship between Cyprus and the UAE is being further upgraded, with a stronger focus on concrete deliverables, joint initiatives and broader regional objectives’. In times of crisis, the quality of bilateral relations is judged not only by declarations, but also by the consistency, immediacy and reliability of actions, he added.
Concluding, the Spokesperson said that Cyprus will continue to work consistently towards strengthening relations with the UAE, deepening co-operation between the European Union and the states of the region, and promoting stability, security and peace.