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Cyprus And Egypt Join Forces To Boost Women’s Economic Empowerment

Cyprus and Egypt are strengthening their collaboration to advance women’s economic empowerment, particularly in the tourism sector, and to support women’s rights initiatives. The partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Cooperation, reflects a shared commitment to promoting gender equality and increasing women’s participation in decision-making roles.

Strategic Cooperation For Gender Equality

On February 17, Cyprus’ Commissioner for Gender Equality, Josie Christodoulou, met with Amal Ammar, President of Egypt’s National Council for Women (NCW), in Cairo to discuss the implementation of the agreement, which was originally signed on January 8, 2025, during the Cyprus-Egypt Intergovernmental Summit. The discussions focused on practical strategies to empower women in tourism and reinforce support systems, including the Women’s Complaints Bureau.

Christodoulou provided an update on Cyprus’ National Strategy for Gender Equality, detailing government-led initiatives to ensure equal opportunities for women and men. Meanwhile, Ammar highlighted Egypt’s efforts to increase female representation in leadership positions, enhance economic opportunities, and combat gender-based violence.

A Roadmap For Action

Beyond policy discussions, both leaders explored tangible ways to implement the memorandum, ensuring that gender equality initiatives translate into real economic and social impact. The collaboration between Egypt’s NCW and Cyprus’ Gender Equality Commissioner’s Office is set to drive concrete programs aimed at advancing women’s roles in the workforce, fostering entrepreneurship, and providing legal and institutional support for women facing challenges.

This cross-border initiative marks a significant step toward greater female participation in key industries and reinforces both nations’ dedication to building inclusive economies where women have equal opportunities to thrive.

Cyprus To Add 125MW Of Battery Storage Before Summer 2027

Electricity storage batteries are expected to arrive in Cyprus in January 2027, with installation scheduled to be completed before next summer’s peak demand season, Energy Minister Michael Damianos said on Sunday.

Storage Capacity Set To Expand Grid Flexibility

Damianos said contracts have already been signed with the supplier and the Transmission System Operator (TSO) for the battery storage project.

Once operational, the facilities will add 125 megawatts (MW) of storage capacity to the national grid, allowing more renewable electricity to be stored instead of being curtailed during periods of excess generation. The minister said the system is expected to be operational before the summer of 2027.

Addressing Evening Demand

Cyprus currently has just over 1,000MW of conventional electricity generation, which Damianos said is generally sufficient during daytime hours. Demand becomes more challenging after sunset, when solar generation falls while electricity consumption, driven largely by air-conditioning, remains high.

He said battery storage will allow electricity generated during the day to be used during the evening peak.

Additional Projects Under Development

Damianos said approvals have also been granted for 150MW of privately owned battery storage projects, which are expected to become operational during 2027.

The Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) is developing an additional 180MW of storage capacity. Two projects, with capacities of 80MW and 100MW, are expected to be completed before next summer.

According to the minister, several hundred megawatts of battery storage capacity are expected to be connected to the national grid by the end of 2027.

Power Supply Before The Batteries Arrive

Asked how electricity demand would be managed before the storage projects are completed, Damianos said the Transmission System Operator considers the system capable of meeting demand under normal operating conditions.

He said last week’s power supply disruptions were caused by a fault at one of the EAC’s generators and that both the utility and the TSO are working to maintain system reliability with the existing generation capacity.

Damianos added that, provided there are no unexpected outages, the electricity system is expected to remain stable, with the period immediately after sunset continuing to pose the greatest challenge.

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