The commander-in-chief of the Lebanese army, during his visit to Cyprus. Photo Ani
BEIRUT — The commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Army, Rodolph Haykal, visited Cyprus on Oct. 7 and 8 at the invitation of his counterpart, the chief of staff of the Cypriot National Guard, Emmanouel Theodorou, to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement released Friday by the army.
Welcomed at the Cypriot Defense Ministry by Minister Vasilis Palmas in the presence of his counterpart, Haykal discussed “the latest developments in Lebanon and the region,” as well as issues of common interest and ways to strengthen cooperation between the two armies “in the face of the challenges facing the region,” the statement said.
During his visit, the army chief toured several military installations, including the Cyclops Training Center, where he met Lebanese officers undergoing training, as well as the Joint Rescue Coordination Center. He was briefed on the progress of drills and various missions, particularly joint training exercises between the Lebanese and Cypriot armies.
Haykal then laid a wreath at the monument to the fallen. On the sidelines of his visit, Lebanon’s ambassador to Cyprus, Rina Charbel, hosted a dinner in his honor at the embassy, attended by ambassadors from Arab countries as well as Arab and Cypriot diplomatic figures.
This visit comes in the context of growing ties between Beirut and Nicosia. In November 2025, the two countries signed an agreement delimiting their exclusive economic zones after nearly 20 years of deadlock, paving the way for increased cooperation in offshore resource exploration. Lebanese and Cypriot presidents Joseph Aoun and Nikos Christodoulides at that time expressed their desire to deepen bilateral relations, especially in the fields of energy, security and defense. Since then, contacts have continued, with Foreign Minister Joe Rajji visiting Cyprus on July 9, 2025, followed by Joseph Aoun on Jan. 7, 2026.
