Lt. General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the UAE Armed Forces, accompanied by several senior officers at the Ministry of Defense paid a visit, the first of its kind, to Cyprus.

The two-day visit came in response to the official invitation from Chief of the Cypriot National Guard, Demokritos Zervakis, Emirates news agency WAM reported.

The visit emphasizes the importance of the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in January of this year regarding a joint military and defense cooperation between the two countries.

Lt. General Al Rumaithi emphasized the strong strategic relations between the UAE and Cyprus and said that he looks forward to developing cooperation and working jointly in the military and defense fields to enhance the military and defense capabilities in the best interests of the two countries.

They also exchanged views on various issues and topics of mutual interest, exchange of experiences and expertise, and joint military coordination.

Zervakis thanked the UAE for accepting the invitation and stressed the importance of the partnership with the UAE in various military and defense fields which would enhance the security and stability of the region.

In another development, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, UAE Minister of State for Defense Affairs, received at his office in the Ministry of Defense Sean Murphy, Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Abu Dhabi and his accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, they discussed cooperation between UAE and the US and ways to enhance them in the best interest of the two sides.

Al Bowardi and Murphy also exchanged views on a number of regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The two sides also touched on the latest developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the two countries' efforts to contain its fallout.