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I am delighted to be with you tonight to welcome the annual General Assembly of the Cyprus Association of Information Technology Enterprises (CITEA), an Association with a dynamic presence and a substantial contribution to the complex issues of technology, entrepreneurship and the social events of the country. And I say social, because I believe, and I am sure you agree, that the technology sector is directly linked not only to the economy, but also to the social progress and prosperity of the country.
First of all, I would like to congratulate the outgoing Board of Directors of the Association for its rich activity, and on behalf of the State Ministry I would like to thank them for their valuable suggestions and close and highly efficient cooperation on issues related to the acceleration of digital transformation. At the same time, I would like to congratulate the President and the new members of the CITEA Board of Directors on their election and wish them a creative and productive term of office.
I am confident that, under your leadership, the Association will continue its multi-dimensional action, strengthening the sector and actively supporting the efforts of the State for the transition to a modern digital state.
As a professional in the field, I would like to assure you that I fully understand the great challenges that lie ahead of us in fulfilling this multi-dimensional but also so important goal - and I am referring to the goal of digital transition. But the greater the challenges, the greater the impact. I am confident that together we can move forward dynamically, building a competitive Cyprus that can keep pace with the ever increasing demands of the times.
Dear Friends,
Digital technology is a key growth component for our country, with a strong footprint in both the economy and society. The private sector is not just an operator, but our closest partner for the successful and rapid implementation of our digital aspirations.
There is a great need and a strong demand for solutions and tools that will substantially improve the daily life of citizens, professionals and companies, fighting bureaucracy and facilitating business activity. Expectations are high and we must respond with consistency and a sense of responsibility.
The coming years represent a huge opportunity. With resources from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, but also additional government investment, we have launched a number of reforms and technology projects on the horizontal axis of digital governance and digital transition. We will move in two main directions: tools and solutions with a direct impact on citizens, which will be developed in parallel with the implementation of the integrated systems currently underway, as well as actions to modernise our internal structures and the wider state infrastructure. As an example, I cite the pursuit of the transition to the government cloud, the adoption of modern methodology and international best practices for flexible modes of development, the use of horizontal technological tools and solutions across the entire spectrum of state machinery and business activity, and the reorganization of the state's IT services. We also place particular emphasis on upgrading telecommunications across the island and strengthening cybersecurity to protect the critical infrastructure of Cyprus and beyond.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
You are all well aware that the digital age requires us to be progressive, flexible and cautious. Advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, among others, are bringing solutions with multi-level benefits both in terms of the internal functioning of government and business and in the delivery of services. IT companies, with their experience and expertise, can not only contribute but lead the way in this mission. The path is shared and the benefits are mutual.
A recent example of the potential of such a collaborative approach is the ICT Re-Up Skilling programme, which both provides training and employment opportunities for unemployed graduates and attempts to help meet the sector's needs for skilled human resources. A number of CITEA member companies have already signed up to the programme and I would therefore like to call on all to participate in this and other future initiatives.
To this end, my intention is to establish an open and productive dialogue with IT and technology companies, through a participatory - coherent approach, in order to formulate effective policies and develop solutions that meet the needs of both the economy and the individual.
