Larnaca is set to be twinned with Bahrain’s capital Manama after the Bahraini cabinet approved the proposal, Mayor Andreas Vyras announced on Tuesday.

The twinning would make Larnaca the first Cypriot city to establish such an arrangement with a Gulf city.

Announcing the decision on social media, the mayor said it represented “another important step for our city” and described the development as creating new prospects for cooperation.

He said the initiative formed part of Larnaca municipality’s strategy to strengthen the city’s “international presence”, establish new channels of cooperation and reinforce its position in the wider region.

The development comes as Cyprus and Bahrain expand bilateral ties in areas including defence, shipping, investment, tourism and technology.

Cyprus ambassador to Bahrain Andreas Eliades said on Monday that closer cooperation between the two countries was being pursued amid wider regional security developments.

He said maritime security and freedom of navigation were strategic priorities for both countries, while economic cooperation could focus on financial services, fintech, technology, logistics and tourism.