Cyprus-Estonia business forum boosts bilateral ties

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Keve) on Wednesday successfully held its ‘Cyprus-Estonia: Promoting Bilateral Collaborations‘ event, as part of the official visit of the President of Estonia Alar Karis to Cyprus.

According to a Keve statement, the main aim of the event was to strengthen bilateral relations and foster partnerships between Cypriot and Estonian businesses in the fields of shipping, cybersecurity, and information technology.

In his welcome address, Keve president Stavros Stavrou praised the strategic partnership between Cyprus and Estonia as EU members.

Moreover, he highlighted the need to leverage these collaborations to promote long-term cooperation and business opportunities across various sectors.

President Karis, in his remarks, pointed out several areas where Estonians could benefit from business activities in Cyprus.

He underlined Cyprus’ attractiveness as a business hub due to its strategic location and business-friendly environment supported by common law.

In addition, he described Cyprus as a centre for international businesses, with modern infrastructure and professionals possessing specialised knowledge.

“One area where we could significantly enhance our cooperation is shipping,” the Estonian president said.

“Moreover, both countries value digital entrepreneurship, which helps increase productivity and profitability.,” he added.

Furthermore, he noted Estonia’s extensive experience in digitisation. “We have digitised most of our public services and are developing services that will never exist on paper,” he stated.

“Estonian companies export this knowledge and are always ready to share it with Cypriots,” he added.

During the event, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou, and Chief Scientist of Research and Technology Demetris Skourides presented Cyprus’ innovation and startup ecosystem, underscoring the country’s potential as an emerging hub in research, technology, and innovation.

A speech was followed by Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hatdjmanolis, who highlighted the opportunities and prospects for the development of Cyprus’ shipping sector.

Subsequently, there was a presentation on the activities of the Estonian Maritime Cluster and opportunities for cooperation by two distinguished representatives from Estonia, Riina Palu and Merit Kindsigo.

The event concluded with a brief presentation of the products and services offered by the 11 companies accompanying the Estonian President.

As part of the forum, private meetings were held between Cypriot and Estonian companies from the shipping, cybersecurity, and information technology sectors.

Finally, the announcement noted that representatives from Cyprus’ business, scientific community, and public sector participated in the business forum.