Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can lead to major investment opportunities and change the development landscape to the benefit of both the government and private organisations, according to Invest Cyprus CEO Marios Tannousis.

With this in mind, Cyprus will host the leading international conference ‘Unlocking Investment Through PPPs’ on March 26 and 27, 2025, in Nicosia, which aims to highlight and explain the opportunities that public-private partnerships can create. 

The conference is organised by Invest Cyprus, the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), and the World Association of PPP Units and PPP Professionals (WAPPP) under the auspices of the Republic of Cyprus.  

It will feature experts from abroad and government officials, presenting successful examples, opportunities, and current trends in PPPs. 

Speaking to InBusiness, Tannousis underlined the critical role of PPPs in overcoming challenges related to major infrastructure projects.

“The partnership between the private and public sectors is the best practice followed in many countries,” Tannousis explained.  

He mentioned that this is largely because many important projects, especially in infrastructure, face challenges such as size, financing difficulties, and lack of know-how, making them difficult to promote and implement without such collaboration. 

He continued, noting the strategic importance of modernising economies through such collaborations.  

“Countries that want to modernise and have projects that contribute to the further development and competitiveness of the economy, such as airports, ports, marinas, desalination plants, choose this method,” Tannousis explained.  

“PPPs are considered one of the best ways for a country to create economic growth with such projects and at the same time modernise in the various projects per sector that are being carried out.” 

According to Tannousis, the conference will also serve as a platform to understand how such projects are prepared so they can be carried out by specialists from global organisations like the Global PPP Organisation, the Global Investment Promotion Organisation, and the European Investment Bank, representatives of which will participate in the event. 

Furthermore, he added that the second day’s workshop will help equip primarily public sector participants with the knowledge to help Cyprus acquire projects that can attract investment and enhance the competitiveness of the economy through public-private partnerships. 

The speakers at the conference are considered world experts in their field, and Tannousis believes that their participation will significantly contribute to promoting the PPP model, which can help boost the economy, create new jobs, and strengthen Cyprus’ competitiveness. 

Responding to a question about practical examples of PPP success, Tannousis pointed to the airports and the port of Limassol as demonstrations of effective private and public sector cooperation, which could serve as models for other significant projects in Cyprus. 

The conference will cover a wide range of topics, including the importance of PPPs and foreign direct investment (FDI) for economic development, legal and regulatory frameworks necessary for successful PPP implementation, best practices from countries with successful PPPs, and the main obstacles and strategies for effective implementation of PPP projects. 

One of the highlights will be a special workshop focused on the development and promotion of attractive investment projects.  

Finally, the participants will collaborate with leading consultants to develop strategies ensuring their projects attract international investor interest, further emphasising the conference’s role as a crucible for fostering global economic partnerships.