How has the bilateral relationship between Cyprus and Qatar evolved in recent years, and which areas of cooperation do you consider most critical for deepening this partnership moving forward?

The relationship between Cyprus and Qatar has significantly evolved in recent years, culminating in the visit by HE Dr. Nikos Christodoulides, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, to Doha in November 2023 and the subsequent visit by HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, to Cyprus in May 2024. The increased frequency of high-level and Ministerial visits to each of our capitals, further attests to the enhanced and multi-faceted nature of Cypriot-Qatari relations.

Political consultations between Cyprus and Qatar are taking place on an annual basis, often at shorter intervals. I personally had the distinct pleasure of visiting Doha twice last year, firstly on a bilateral visit in November 2024 and in the following month to participate in the Doha Forum. The most recent engagement of this nature was that of Dr. Majed Al-Ansari, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, who visited Nicosia at the end of April 2025. The frequent exchange of ideas and analyses serves as a pathway to a better understanding on ways to tackle the immense challenges faced by smaller states like Cyprus and Qatar, in this age of great uncertainty and monumental changes.

Particular attention is also given to the development of deeper economic relations and the fostering of more intensive people-to-people contacts. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus is very pleased about the active participation of the Qatari flagship corporation, QatarEnergy, in partnership with ExxonMobil, to the exploratory program for natural gas in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). 

The Government of Cyprus is in an open dialogue with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) for investment opportunities in various fields, such as Renewable Energy Sources (RES), including energy storage, as well as in ICT/Tech, entrepreneurship and innovation, which are burgeoning sectors in the Cypriot business ecosystem.

We are keen to identify and develop further economic opportunities between our respective business sectors. To this end, the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Qatar Financial Center (QFC), to facilitate increased exchanges between our business communities in the fields of finance and professional services.

Moreover, the activation of the MoU between the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Chamber, will also facilitate opportunities for further engagement of our private business communities. We aim to showcase profitable opportunities for Qatari investments in Cyprus in a variety of fields, including shipping, pharmaceuticals, food processing and security, innovation and start-ups, financial services, as well and the tourism and hospitality industries.

People-to-people contacts are an essential feature of the bilateral relationship between Cyprus and Qatar. Connectivity is served throughout the year by daily direct flights between Doha’s Hamad International Airport and Larnaca International Airport, which go up to 10 flights per week during the high season. We are also engaging in efforts to promote academic cooperation between Cypriot and Qatari universities and research institutions. These efforts, which involve not only faculty and researchers, but also students, aim to foster closer contacts and increase mutual understanding and knowledge between our respective peoples, with a particular emphasis on youth.