Cyprus and Philippines sign three memorandums of cooperation during historic visit

Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos traveled to Manila in early October 2026 for the first official visit by a Cypriot Foreign Minister to the Philippines. The visit aimed to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation, following previous meetings between Minister Kombos and his Philippine counterpart, Enrique Manalo, at the United Nations General Assembly sessions in September 2025 and 2026.

During the visit, the two nations signed three key memorandums of understanding. The first agreement establishes mutual recognition of seafarer certificates under the STCW Convention, facilitating employment on each other’s registered vessels. The second memorandum promotes cooperation in sports, including athlete training, anti-doping efforts, and infrastructure development. The third agreement creates a framework to facilitate the evacuation of Philippine citizens and their families from crisis zones in the Middle East and North Africa via the Republic of Cyprus. These agreements represent a significant deepening of diplomatic and practical ties between the two countries.