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Cyprus Unemployment: A Slight Rise in Monthly Rates While Yearly Figures Improve

The latest Eurostat report shed light on the unemployment trends in Cyprus, revealing a complex yet intriguing landscape. The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in Cyprus edged up to 5.0% in January 2025 from 4.9% in the prior month but showed a promising decrease from 5.3% in January 2024.

While this monthly uptick might raise eyebrows, a broader perspective shows Cyprus outperforming the overall eurozone’s stability, where the unemployment rate held steady at 6.2%. The EU as a whole also reported unchanged figures from December at 5.8%. Nevertheless, when viewed annually, Cyprus manifests a noteworthy improvement, mirroring healthier trends across the region.

Zooming into numbers, approximately 26,000 people were unemployed in Cyprus in January 2025, a rise of about a thousand from December but a reduction of the same amount compared to the previous year. For the EU and eurozone, total unemployment decreased annually by 510,000 and 547,000 people, respectively.

This statistical narrative aligns with Cyprus’s vigorous economic activities, highlighting the island’s resilience in reducing unemployment amid changing monthly dynamics.

Microsoft Bets Big On South Africa With $297M AI And Cloud Investment

Microsoft is doubling down on its commitment to South Africa, pledging an additional 5.4 billion rand ($297 million) by 2027 to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure in the country.

The announcement, made by Vice Chairman Brad Smith in Johannesburg, comes ahead of a key South African investment conference and adds to the 20.4 billion rand Microsoft has already poured into Africa’s most industrialized economy.

Driving Growth Through AI And Talent

Beyond boosting infrastructure, Microsoft is making a play for South Africa’s digital future. Over the next year, the tech giant will fund certification exams for 50,000 young people, equipping them with in-demand digital skills to fuel economic growth and innovation.

South Africa has struggled with sluggish economic expansion—averaging under 1% growth annually for more than a decade—and is actively courting private-sector investment to accelerate momentum.

Big Tech’s Race For Africa

Microsoft was an early mover in South Africa’s cloud computing race, launching data centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town long before Amazon and Google entered the market. The company is now ramping up capacity with a new facility in Centurion, Gauteng, while also spearheading a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya.

President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the move, calling Microsoft’s investment a vote of confidence in South Africa’s economic potential. “This company really has an African heart,” he said, underscoring the country’s efforts to position itself as a prime destination for global tech investment.

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