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Cyprus And UAE Strengthen Economic Bridge With Business Council Launch In Dubai

Establishing A Strategic Partnership

Cyprus has cemented its commercial relationship with the United Arab Emirates this week as Energy Minister George Papanastasiou inaugurated the Cyprus Business Council (CBC) in Dubai. The minister described this initiative as a tangible step toward further solidifying economic cooperation and expanding mutual opportunities between the two nations.


Connecting Markets For Sustainable Development

At the council’s founding ceremony and inaugural general assembly, held during the Doers Summit 2025, Minister Papanastasiou outlined the CBC’s mission to serve as a structured platform, facilitating meaningful exchanges among companies, investors, and innovators from both markets. Such collaboration is anticipated to drive sustainable growth through technology transfer, joint ventures, and shared prosperity.


Focused Sectors: Energy, Innovation And Beyond

Systematic cooperation will now target a spectrum of sectors ranging from energy, innovation, and green technologies to tourism, maritime services, and infrastructure projects. Both Cyprus and the UAE are aligned in their ambition to advance fields like the food and water chain, digital assets, and digital transformation—efforts that promise significant regional and global impact.


Leadership And Industry Collaboration

The CBC, established by the Republic’s Trade Centre in Dubai under the auspices of Dubai Chambers, will be headquartered in the emirate and guided by a nine-member board. Key figures on the board include President Yiannos Olympios, Vice President Andrea Stephani, Treasurer Dina El Guindi, and Secretary Andreas Tsintos, together with noted professionals Demetris Zampoglou, Georgios Pantechis, Phoivos Stephanou, Theodoros Kriggou, and Michalis Nicolaou.


Government Endorsements And Future Outlook

Senior government officials were present at the ceremony, reflecting the importance of this initiative. Attendees included Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority, UAE Deputy Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Cyprus Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nikodemos Damianou, and Cypriot Ambassador to the UAE Meropi Christofi. Their presence underscores a robust bilateral commitment to innovation and economic development.

Nearly 80% Of Cyprus’ Foreign Investment Came From Outside EU In 2025

Cyprus had the highest share of foreign direct investment (FDI) originating outside the European Union among 14 EU member states reporting data for 2025. According to Eurostat, non-EU economies accounted for 79.4% of the island’s inward FDI, highlighting its distinct position among the reporting countries.

The figures contrast with most other EU economies, where investment from within the bloc remains the main source of foreign capital.

Cyprus Leads In Non-EU Investment Share

Eurostat measures inward FDI positions by the ultimate investing economy, identifying the economy where the investment ultimately originates rather than only the country through which it is channelled. This distinction is important when investments involve subsidiaries or intermediary holding companies.

In nine of the 14 reporting countries, most foreign investment came from within the EU. The Czech Republic recorded the highest intra-EU share, at 75.1%, followed by Romania at 73.3% and Estonia at 64.8%.

Cyprus was among five countries where non-EU economies accounted for more than half of inward FDI. Spain, Sweden, Greece and Denmark also recorded shares above 50%, ranging from 51% to 55.1%.

US Is The Largest Source Of FDI Across Reporting Countries

Across the 14 countries collectively, the United States was the largest ultimate source of foreign direct investment, accounting for 15.4% of the total.

Germany ranked second at 11.5%, followed by France at 9.4%, the United Kingdom at 9.3% and Switzerland at 5.8%.

These figures reflect the combined investment positions of the reporting countries and do not identify Cyprus’s leading individual investment sources. However, the country-level data underline the island’s strong reliance on capital originating outside the European Union.

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