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The official state visit of the UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Republic of Cyprus on December 14, 2025 marked a historic milestone in relations between the two countries, as the first-ever visit by an Emirati President to Cyprus. The visit reflected the growing maturity of the Cyprus–UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, formalised in February 2022, and highlighted the shared ambition to elevate cooperation well beyond traditional diplomatic engagement.

Meropi Christofi, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the UAE, with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Set within a period of expanding regional cooperation and economic opportunity, the visit underscored how the Republic of Cyprus and the UAE are positioning their relationship as a long-term, forward-looking partnership rooted in trust, regional stability, and tangible economic outcomes. High-level engagements with President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides focused on accelerating collaboration across priority sectors including trade, investment, energy cooperation, interconnectivity, defence, and large-scale infrastructure, while also reinforcing coordination on humanitarian initiatives and multilateral diplomacy.

Importantly, the visit also came as the Republic of Cyprus prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026, adding a wider European dimension to bilateral discussions. Both sides reaffirmed their intention to use this momentum to strengthen EU–UAE and EU–GCC relations, positioning the Republic of Cyprus as a strategic bridge between Europe and the Middle East.

In this interview, Meropi Christofi, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the UAE, reflects on the progress of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, outlines key areas of cooperation now moving into implementation, and explains how this relationship is evolving into a model for broader regional and international collaboration.

What is the progress on the UAE–Cyprus Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was formalised in February 2022?

The state visit itself is a very strong indication of the progress we have achieved. Being the first-ever visit by a UAE President to the Republic of Cyprus, it is a milestone that clearly showcases the strategic depth of our relationship. It reaffirms the mutual commitment to further elevating the partnership agreed in 2022, but also reflects an even more ambitious and forward-looking agenda. Today, our cooperation is firmly focused on trade, investments, energy cooperation, and interconnectivity, while also expanding into areas such as humanitarian assistance, where both countries share strong priorities and a proven record of collaboration.

Both nations have expressed determination to increase cooperation across political consultations, defence and security, education, science and technology, and maritime transport. What are the key updates in these areas?

During the meetings, the two Presidents agreed to move decisively towards the development of a Joint Action Plan. This plan is intended to accelerate cooperation across all the fields mentioned and is expected to be finalised very soon. It will include specific tasks assigned to each relevant ministry, alongside formalised consultation mechanisms and regular exchanges. The objective is to ensure that cooperation is not only discussed at a strategic level, but implemented through concrete projects with clear timelines. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus and the UAE will supervise the overall implementation of this Joint Action Plan to ensure continuity and effectiveness.

Energy, trade and investment, tourism and culture are seen as key growth sectors. Are there any major initiatives or deals in the pipeline?

A wide range of initiatives was discussed at the bilateral level, and both Presidents were very clear that there are no limitations on what can be achieved through our cooperation. Several specific projects are currently under evaluation. Among all sectors, energy cooperation is the most advanced and mature, and I believe this is where we are likely to see the first tangible outcomes. Discussions have covered areas such as energy storage, LNG, logistics, and related infrastructure.

Trade and investment are also a major focus. DP World is already present in the Republic of Cyprus, operating in the country’s largest port, and discussions are ongoing regarding the expansion of its operations. We also touched on emerging areas such as artificial intelligence. In this context, the emphasis was that any AI-related investment in Cyprus should be designed to serve a wider regional or European market, ensuring scale, sustainability, and long-term viability.

Our upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, starting in January 2026, adds an important dimension to Cyprus–UAE relations. One of our key priorities will be to ensure that the EU maintains a strong focus on its Southern Neighbourhood and on relations with the GCC. We consider our cooperation with the UAE to be a proven success story, particularly in delivering concrete results and effective humanitarian action.

The UAE has also expressed a clear priority to advance negotiations on a free trade agreement with the EU. The Republic of Cyprus intends to play a constructive and facilitating role during its Presidency. Our approach is to identify potential challenges early on, work through them pragmatically, and help move negotiations forward as efficiently as possible. We firmly believe that an EU–UAE free trade agreement would be a win–win outcome for all sides.

People-to-people engagement is often described as a foundation for long-term cooperation. How is this being strengthened?

People-to-people engagement is absolutely central to the success of our partnership. Over the next six months, and especially during the EU Presidency, the Republic of Cyprus will host a number of high-level and technical meetings involving EU member states, Eastern Mediterranean partners, and GCC countries. This will naturally lead to increased travel, exchanges, and institutional interaction.

With the Joint Action Plan in place, we expect these exchanges to become even more structured and frequent. Cultural cooperation is also being strengthened as part of this effort, reflecting our belief that cultural dialogue supports political and economic ties. Connectivity between the Republic of Cyprus and the UAE is already strong, and we are actively exploring ways to expand it further to support tourism, business travel, and broader engagement between our societies.

The Republic of Cyprus is positioning itself as a gateway to Europe and investing in its digital infrastructure. What steps are being taken to attract innovation and technology-driven investment?

The Republic of Cyprus has already put in place the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks to support innovation and digital investment. This has allowed us to attract a growing number of companies, particularly those seeking access to the EU single market. Establishing a presence in the Republic of Cyprus provides companies with a clear pathway into Europe, which is a significant advantage. Our discussions with the UAE on AI and data centres are part of this broader strategy. These initiatives, once developed, are expected to further enhance the Republic of Cyprus’s digital ecosystem and reinforce its role as a technology and innovation hub connecting Europe with the wider region.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight following this landmark visit?

What stood out very clearly during the discussions was the shared understandİng between the Republic of Cyprus and the UAE of the global challenges we face and the importance of coordinated responses. There is a strong common priority around humanitarian action and delivering assistance more effectively wherever it is needed.

The discussions were open, frank, and forward-looking. I am confident that in the coming months we will see significant developments, not least because Cyprus’s EU Presidency will naturally elevate the visibility of our initiatives. The cooperation between the Republic of Cyprus and the UAE is increasingly seen as an example that can be followed by other EU member states, demonstrating that partnerships can extend well beyond financial and investment cooperation to include humanitarian action, security, and long-term regional prosperity.