It is with distinct pleasure that I receive today the Letters of Credence by which His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic accredits you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Portuguese Republic to the Republic of Cyprus.

First and foremost, I wish to extend to you a warm welcome to Cyprus, together with my heartfelt congratulations on your appointment. As you assume your important duties, I wish you every success and assure you of the full support of both my Government and myself in the fulfilment of your mission.

Although Cyprus and Portugal are situated at opposite ends of Europe, geography has never limited the closeness of our friendship. On the contrary, our shared maritime outlook, our deep-rooted commitment to democracy, international law and multilateralism and our common European identity have brought our countries consistently together. Over time, this bond has grown into a relationship marked by trust, respect and friendship between our peoples.

In recent years, our bilateral relations have gained notable momentum. My visit to Lisbon last year, the first bilateral visit by a President of the Republic of Cyprus to Portugal in several decades, marked a significant milestone and reflected our shared ambition to strengthen our cooperation. Looking ahead, there is significant potential to further enrich our partnership – in trade and investment, the blue economy, renewable energy, research and innovation, as well as tourism and people-to-people exchanges. I also remain hopeful that we will make progress towards establishing direct air connectivity between our countries, bringing our societies, our business communities and academic institutions even closer together.

As partners within the European Union (EU), Cyprus and Portugal share a strong conviction that Europe’s challenges can only be addressed through unity, solidarity and a sense of common purpose. In times of profound global uncertainty, we remain firmly committed to the values and principles that underpin the European project and to working together for a stronger, more resilient and more competitive Union.

I also wish to express my sincere appreciation for Portugal’s constructive cooperation and valuable support throughout the recent Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. That close collaboration was yet another testament to the depth of our partnership. We now look forward with confidence to continuing this excellent and fruitful cooperation, including during Portugal’s forthcoming Presidency of MED9 in 2027.

At this point, I would like to convey our sincere appreciation for Portugal’s longstanding and principled support for the reunification of Cyprus, based on the agreed United Nations framework, the relevant United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolutions and the EU acquis.

We also congratulate Portugal on its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, a reflection of its enduring contribution to international peace and security and its unwavering commitment to multilateralism. We look forward to working closely with Portugal in a spirit of constructive cooperation over the coming two years.

In closing, I wish you every success in the fulfilment of your important mission. I am confident that, during your tenure, the excellent relations between Cyprus and Portugal will continue to grow from strength to strength.

Ambassador Bagulho Silvestre, I warmly welcome you to Cyprus.