France and Cyprus
Political relations
The friendship between France and Cyprus is built on a close defence relationship, as well as solidarity forged between the two countries in the economic and cultural fields.
The ties between France and Cyprus have strengthened in recent years, as shown by the signing of a strategic agenda between the two countries in 2016 and Cypriot accession to the International Organisation of La Francophonie as a full member. A defence cooperation agreement was signed in April 2017. France and Cyprus also cooperate closely at European level, particularly within the EU Med group of the EU’s Mediterranean states.
France is supporting efforts towards a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus question, in accordance with the principles laid down in UN Security Council resolutions and the EU acquis.
French presence
French Embassy website: https://cy.ambafrance.org/bafrance-cy.org
Consulate: Nicosia
French community: 1,130 registered
Cypriot community in France: 920 people
Visits
Visit to France by President Anastasiádis on 10 November 2022
Visit by the Minister of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, to Cyprus in September 2020
Visit to France by President Anastasiádis on 23 July 2020
Visit to Cyprus by the Minister for the Armed Forces in March 2019
Visit to Cyprus by President Hollande on 29 January 2019
Visit to Paris by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Níkos Christodoulídis, on 7 May 2019
Visit to Cyprus by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, on 7 September 2018
Visit to Paris by President Anastasiádis on 6 November 2017 (meeting with President Macron).
Visit to Paris by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on 26 June 2017.
Ambassadors
French Ambassador to Cyprus: Salina Grenet-Catalano (since December 2020)
@SalinaGrenet
Cypriot Ambassador to France: Georges Chacalli (since October 2020)
Economic relations
Today, France is the 12th-largest investor in Cyprus, with a foreign direct investment stock estimated at €3.4 billion in 2021 by the Central Bank of Cyprus.
France traditionally has a trade surplus with Cyprus (€158.5 million in 2021). France is not, however, a major supplier of the country (11th place). Our bilateral trade is dominated by the agrifood industry (a quarter of our imports), mechanical equipment (22%), chemicals, perfumes and cosmetics (12%) and pharmaceuticals (40%).
Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation
France and Cyprus concluded a cultural agreement in 1969. A letter of intent on deeper linguistic and educational cooperation was signed during the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development’s visit to Nicosia on 25 October 2016. In November 2021, the Education Ministers signed a declaration planning the strengthening of the French language’s position in the Cypriot education system, particularly through the restoration of a second compulsory modern foreign language in the last two years of secondary education. The opening of the Franco-Cypriot school (French, Greek, English) in 2012 was also a key event in our bilateral cooperation.
Scientific cooperation with Cyprus is founded on the “Zénon” Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC) which supports the funding of mobility for young researchers and diversification of Cypriot scientific exchanges.
Other cooperation
Defence relationship
Cooperation between France and Cyprus is strategic. A defence cooperation agreement was signed in April 2017 and took effect in August 2020. The French Navy takes part in regular exercises with its Cypriot counterpart, sometimes jointly with other European navies. France is also one of the leading suppliers of weaponry to Cyprus.
In September 2022, the Foreign Ministers also signed an agreement on cooperation in evacuation operations from the Middle East via Cypriot territory in the event of a crisis.
Updated: February 2024