Cyprus and Qatar have agreed to establish a working group to monitor and promote the progress of their economic and political collaboration.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has reportedly expressed a keen interest in investing in the energy and high-tech sectors in Cyprus, according to a Cypriot official.

During his visit to the eastern Mediterranean island nation on Tuesday, Sheikh Tamim also showed an interest in the development of Cypriot ports and banking institutions, the same official said.

Separately, Qatar is partnering with ExxonMobil in oil and gas exploration within one of the 13 designated blocks in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone off the island’s southern coast.

In a meeting with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, both leaders agreed to establish a working group to monitor and promote the progress of their economic and political collaboration.

The discussions also touched on recent developments in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Israel is currently conducting relentless attacks in defiance of an International Court of Justice (ICJ) order last week to halt the military operation there.

The crossing, which is the only exit point for many Palestinians, is also the main portal for humanitarian aid and medical evacuations which have been halted due to the Israeli deadly invasion. 

Rafah was already densely populated with more than 1.2 million internally displaced Palestinians who were forced to flee northern Gaza at the start of the war, widely referred to as a genocide.

Qatar has been a staunch supporter of a maritime aid corridor that facilitates the delivery of humanitarian aid from the Cypriot port of Larnaca to the Gaza Strip, according to reports.

The aid is transported via a temporary pier built by the United States off the coast of the Strip, with the amir contributing to the funding the initiative’s humanitarian aid collection.

However, operations at the temporary pier were suspended over the weekend due to damage caused by rough seas, officials reported.