Sisi, Cypriot President Elevate Relations to Strategic Partnership in Nicosia Talks

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held talks on Thursday with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia, culminating in the signing of a joint declaration upgrading bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The announcement was made during an official meeting between the two leaders, marking a significant milestone in the long-standing and historically close ties between Egypt and Cyprus. The declaration reflects what both sides described as a shared commitment to deepen cooperation across political, economic, and security dimensions.

According to Egyptian presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy, President El-Sisi expressed appreciation for the warm reception and hospitality extended by the Cypriot leadership, reiterating Egypt’s commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

President Christodoulides, in turn, welcomed El-Sisi’s visit and praised Egypt’s participation in the broader consultative meeting held in Nicosia with Arab and European leaders, noting its importance as a platform for exchanging views on regional and international developments.

The two leaders reviewed the full scope of Egypt–Cyprus relations, with particular focus on expanding economic ties in trade, investment, labor mobility, tourism, and energy cooperation. A key point of discussion was the ongoing coordination regarding the linkage of Cypriot natural gas fields to Egyptian infrastructure, enabling processing, domestic consumption, and export via Egypt’s established energy networks.

Christodoulides also commended Egypt’s role in combating irregular migration and called for stronger burden-sharing within the European Union, particularly in supporting countries hosting large numbers of displaced persons.

The meeting further addressed pressing regional developments, including efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East. El-Sisi outlined Egypt’s diplomatic initiatives aimed at de-escalation and restoring regional stability, particularly in relation to the Iranian file. The Cypriot president praised these efforts, as well as Egypt’s broader contributions during the recent Euro-Arab consultations in Nicosia.

Both leaders also discussed the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, emphasizing the urgent need to fully implement ceasefire arrangements, ensure unrestricted humanitarian aid delivery into Gaza, and accelerate reconstruction efforts in the territory.

The talks underscored a shared vision between Cairo and Nicosia for enhanced coordination on regional security challenges and expanded strategic cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.