From a very different Dubai in 1978 to today’s global centre of trade, technology and investment, the Cyprus Trade Centre has spent almost half a century strengthening the relationship between Cyprus and the Gulf. Its story is one of commerce, diplomacy, people and the remarkable transformation of two regions increasingly connected by opportunity.
When the Cyprus Trade Centre was established in Dubai in 1978, few could have imagined what Dubai would become.
The commercial heart of the city was concentrated largely around Deira, particularly Nasser Square, now Baniyas Square, Naif Souk and Al Ras. There was no Burj Khalifa, no Dubai Marina and none of the extraordinary architecture that today makes the city instantly recognisable around the world.
The Cyprus Trade Centre’s first home was in the Juma Al Majid Building in Nasser Square. It later moved to Al Ghurair Centre, the first shopping mall in the UAE, and in 2013 relocated to the Hamsah Building in Bur Dubai, where it shared premises with the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.
Its establishment came during an important period in the development of relations between Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates, following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the historic visit of Archbishop Makarios III, President of the Republic of Cyprus. Dubai subsequently became an increasingly attractive destination for Cypriots seeking employment and business opportunities, with the Cypriot community in the UAE eventually exceeding 15,000 residents.
Cypriot businesses were also becoming part of the Gulf’s rapid economic development. One of the pioneers was Joannou & Paraskevaides, better known as J&P, which grew into one of the leading construction companies in the UAE and wider Gulf. Its presence became so familiar that for years a roundabout between Sharjah’s Second and Third Industrial Areas was known as the “J&P Roundabout”, before being replaced by a four-way traffic junction.
Cyprus Airways also established a strong regional presence, with routes connecting Cyprus to Dubai, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Manama in Bahrain. These details are more than interesting pieces of history. They show that Cyprus’s relationship with the Gulf did not emerge during the recent internationalisation of the region. Its foundations were already being built almost half a century ago.
More Than a Trade Centre
The CTC was established to implement the policies of the Ministry responsible for commerce, promoting Cypriot goods and services, attracting investment and strengthening economic relations between Cyprus and the Gulf countries.
In practice, however, its role became considerably broader. From its establishment in 1978 until 2003, when the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus opened in Qatar as Cyprus’s first embassy in the Gulf region, the Cyprus Trade Centre was the Republic’s sole official office covering the Gulf region and Yemen. Commercial and many non-commercial matters were therefore handled through the Centre, while Honorary Consulates in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain were responsible for consular affairs.
For many years, the Centre was therefore not simply promoting trade. It represented a physical Cyprus presence in a region whose economic importance was growing rapidly. Its activities were extensive. Cyprus participated in international exhibitions through national pavilions, while the Centre also supported individual Cypriot companies wishing to exhibit independently. It organised trade missions, identified potential importers and arranged meetings between Cypriot companies and businesses throughout the Gulf.
The relationship worked in both directions. The CTC also encouraged Gulf business leaders and institutions to visit Cyprus. On one occasion, more than 60 businessmen and officials from GCC countries travelled to Cyprus for the Cyprus International Trade Fair, where programmes were arranged for them to meet Cypriot manufacturers and potential business partners.
Taking Cypriot Products to Gulf Consumers
Before today’s world of digital campaigns, online marketplaces and social media, promoting a country’s products internationally required a very different approach. The Centre promoted Cypriot industrial, agricultural and service-sector offerings through respected regional publications including Gulf Business, Arabian Business, Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal, Al Khaleej and Khaleej Times.
There was also direct contact with consumers. Cypriot products such as Halloumi and mandarins were promoted in supermarkets and public venues throughout the region. Halloumi provides an especially interesting example. In 2003, the CTC and the Ministry began efforts to register Halloumi as a trademark in regional markets. Registration was successfully achieved in GCC countries apart from the UAE, where different regulations applied, as well as in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Today, Halloumi is internationally recognised as one of Cyprus’s signature products. The work required to build that recognition internationally began long before most consumers ever thought about geographical indications or food branding.
Exhibitions: Putting Cyprus in the Room
Trade exhibitions became one of the Centre’s most important tools, with participation at times exceeding seven specialist exhibitions annually, alongside support for individual Cypriot exporters.
The range was considerable.
Gulfood provided access to the rapidly growing food market. INDEX focused on furniture and interiors, while The Hotel Show targeted the expanding hospitality industry. Motexha covered apparel, fashion, footwear and accessories; Agri-Middle East concentrated on agriculture and livestock; and The Big 5 became a major platform for the construction and building-materials industries.
As the global economy evolved, technology joined the portfolio through GITEX, covering areas including technology, startups, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The Centre’s activities extended beyond Dubai. For many years, it participated in GulfBid Bahrain in Manama and Project Qatar in Doha, as well as Project Iran in Tehran in 2017.
One of the most significant international showcases came with Expo 2020 Dubai, which took place from October 2021 until March 2022 following its pandemic postponement.
Cyprus was actively represented throughout the six-month event. President Nicos Anastasiades visited, as did Nikos Christodoulides, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Natasa Pilides and numerous other delegations representing Cyprus’s economic, cultural and tourism interests. The CTC Dubai was actively involved throughout Cyprus’s participation.
Trade Missions: Where Relationships Become Business
Exhibitions provide visibility, but international commerce ultimately depends on relationships. For many years, the Centre organised at least two trade missions annually, often covering several destinations. Missions might combine Kuwait and Qatar, while Saudi Arabian programmes frequently included both Riyadh and Jeddah.
They were organised through cooperation between the Cyprus Trade Centre, the Ministry and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A typical delegation included representatives from these institutions together with approximately 15 to 20 Cypriot companies from the industrial and service sectors.
Some missions operated at the highest levels of government.
In 2007, a trade mission to the UAE was headed by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Antonis Michaelides and Finance Minister Michalis Sarris. In 2013, President Nicos Anastasiades headed a mission to the UAE accompanied by several ministers, including George Lakkotrypis, and a delegation of 40 service companies. In 2015, Finance Minister Harris Georgiades headed a trade mission to Kuwait.
On the Gulf side, coordination took place through Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the relevant government ministries.
Behind the statistics and official delegations lies something fundamental to the CTC’s work: creating the circumstances in which people can meet. An exporter in Cyprus may have an excellent product or service, but entering an unfamiliar international market requires introductions, local knowledge and, above all, trust.
Helping Bring the Gulf to Cyprus
The Centre also played an important role in tourism.
Before the establishment of the Cyprus Tourism Office in Dubai in 2004, the CTC consistently supported the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, helping it participate in exhibitions and events and promote Cyprus throughout the region. Following the establishment of the tourism office, an initiative involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry responsible for commerce allowed UAE citizens and residents to apply for Cyprus visas through the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Doha, with documents collected through the Cyprus Trade Centre in Dubai.
The aim was to facilitate travel while supporting both tourism and investment.
Visitor numbers subsequently increased from approximately 15,000 annually to 67,000 in one of the years recorded in the Centre’s history. Importantly, this increase cannot be attributed to visa facilitation alone. It reflected the combined efforts of the CTC, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the Embassy.
The People Who Built the Centre
Almost five decades of institutional history inevitably means generations of people working behind the scenes.
Among the Commercial Counsellors recorded in the Centre’s history are:
- George Hadjiafxentis – 1978–1984
- Vrachos Hadjihannas – 1984–1988
- Andreas Pavlou – 1988–1992
- Andreas Theofylaktou – 1992–1997
- Andreas Christou – 1997–2002
- Alexis Ioannides – 2002–2004
- Youssef El Guindi – 2004–2015
- Fadi Al Shebli – 2015–2023 (Acting)
- Georgios Partasides – 2023–present
Assistant Commercial Counsellor Fadi Al Shebli served from 1999 until 2026, representing an extraordinary 27 years of continuity. Administrative and support staff over the years included Anna Pereira, Manal Qaddoumi, Juzettee Gamit, Pascal Dias, Eric Dias and Asif Abdul Kader.
Their responsibilities could reach well beyond commerce.
The Centre coordinated numerous official and transit visits by Presidents of the Republic and government ministers, including airport arrangements and the practical requirements surrounding these visits.
From 1999 onwards alone, the CTC witnessed visits involving Presidents Glafcos Clerides, Tassos Papadopoulos, Demetris Christofias and Nicos Anastasiades, as well as Nikos Christodoulides during his tenure as Foreign Minister and a large number of other ministers.
Following the establishment of the Cyprus Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 2009, the Embassy assumed many of these responsibilities. Nevertheless, cooperation continued because of the CTC’s established presence in Dubai and the significant number of Cypriots residing in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Over the same period, Cyprus’s diplomatic presence across the region expanded, with embassies established in Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and an increasing number of bilateral agreements strengthening relations between Cyprus and GCC countries.
A New Chapter in Cyprus–UAE Relations
Another important milestone in strengthening economic and commercial ties between Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates has been the establishment of the Cyprus Business Council in the UAE in November 2025. The Council provides a valuable platform for bringing together Cypriot businesses and professionals operating in the Emirates, encouraging networking, cooperation and the exchange of opportunities. It also plays an important role in promoting Cyprus as an attractive business and investment destination, reflecting the growing presence and contribution of the Cypriot business community in the region.
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