Cyprus and Malta are looking to deepen commercial ties and create new opportunities for joint investment, with companies from the two countries meeting to explore cooperation across technology, financial services, manufacturing and cyber security.

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) hosted the Cyprus–Malta Business Forum and a series of B2B meetings, bringing together a Maltese business delegation and representatives of the Cypriot business community.

The forum, organised with The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry and the Cyprus–Malta Business Association, was held in the presence of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry Kyriacos Iordanou.

Keve said the initiative formed part of its wider effort to strengthen Cyprus’ international business links and help Cypriot companies expand into overseas markets.

Opening the forum, Keve president Stavros Stavrou pointed to the longstanding economic relationship between Cyprus and Malta, noting that the two EU island economies share highly internationalised business sectors, strategic locations and a strong reliance on entrepreneurship and services.

He said that, in an increasingly competitive global economy, smaller countries such as Cyprus and Malta needed to look beyond their domestic markets and build partnerships capable of improving competitiveness and opening new avenues for growth.

Despite their size, he added, both countries have strengths in expertise, flexibility, connectivity and skilled human capital, allowing them to serve as business hubs linking Europe with neighbouring markets.

The forum also included an overview of Malta’s economy by Mark Bajada, deputy president of The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.

Bajada emphasised Malta’s economic performance and labour market, while pointing to sectors including technology, digital innovation, advanced manufacturing, financial services, aviation, maritime activities, pharmaceuticals and tourism.

He also outlined the role of the Malta Chamber, which has represented the country’s business community since 1848 and works through European and international business networks to support Maltese companies seeking to expand abroad.

The discussions placed particular emphasis on the complementary position of the two economies.

Malta’s location in the Central Mediterranean, combined with Cyprus’ position in the Eastern Mediterranean and proximity to the Middle East, was presented as an opportunity for companies to pursue joint investment, develop commercial partnerships and gain access to wider international markets.

Companies taking part came from sectors including technology, FinTech, financial and professional services, HealthTech, AgriTech, food manufacturing and cyber resilience.

The talks focused on areas where firms could combine expertise, exchange knowledge and develop commercial projects, while Invest Cyprus also gave a presentation to participants.

A central part of the forum was the programme of dedicated B2B meetings, giving Cypriot and Maltese companies an opportunity to make direct contacts, discuss possible partnerships and examine potential investment opportunities.

Keve said it wanted businesses to build on those discussions through concrete projects and longer-term cooperation rather than allow the contacts made at the forum to end with the event itself.

The forum also builds on broader efforts to strengthen business ties between the two countries, including the establishment of the Cyprus–Malta Business Association under Keve in 2023 to encourage bilateral trade, investment and commercial cooperation.

Keve said closer economic ties could help increase trade and investment, support innovation and give companies from both countries greater access to international markets.

Participants concluded the forum by expressing their intention to maintain business dialogue between Cyprus and Malta, with the longer-term measure of its success likely to be the partnerships and commercial projects that emerge from the contacts made.