[PIO] Address by the Deputy Minister to the President at the Cyprus Forum Cities

It is a great honour to be here today to welcome the Cyprus Forum Cities, this important meeting of public and private sector stakeholders, Local Authorities, Academic Institutions, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders, together with civil society. Our common goal is to promote participation and dialogue in order to lay the foundations for creating cities and communities that are sustainable, resilient, green and democratic, and that meet citizens' expectations.

The action of Cyprus Forum Cities, which is an initiative of our local youth, is a shining example of collaborative and participatory democracy, something that is lacking in our Cyprus, and which has as its ultimate goal the development and establishment of an ongoing dialogue and exchange of views on issues such as sustainable economy, environmental protection and the upgrading of the quality of life of citizens.

The Government stands in support of such initiatives, since only through dialogue will we be able to collectively address today's challenges as a society.

Our cities, as centres of social and economic activity, play a key role in improving the quality of life of citizens, the primary objective of our governance. The Annual Plan for 2024 includes the implementation of a wide range of actions aimed at improving the daily lives of citizens.

Actions such as:

1. ensuring affordable housing through innovative measures such as "Rent and Upgrade" and "Built to Rent",
2. addressing traffic and promoting sustainable urban mobility by creating new "Park & Ride" spaces and dedicated lanes for buses and bicycles,
3. digital transformation by digitising key services and implementing Digital Citizen,
4. increasing urban greening.

High on the Government's agenda is the green transition. Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity today. Integrating the green transition into the design and operation of our cities is crucial. Through promoting clean energy and sustainable transport, increasing urban greening, effectively managing extreme weather events, and promoting bioclimatic architecture and the circular economy, cities and communities can become more sustainable, healthy, competitive and humane.

The city of Limassol, host of today's conference, is a pioneer in the green transition as it has been included in the 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030, through the EU Mission Cities programme, and we congratulate it for this. In fact, it has recently received the honorary EU Mission Label in recognition of the actions taken towards climate neutrality.

Implementing our goal for green transition and seeking a climate neutral future for our country, the Government is promoting actions that include:

1. The implementation of the National Action Plan for the Circular Economy.
2. The pilot implementation of the Green Community.
3. The penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) projects through land and marine spatial planning.
4. The implementation of sponsorship schemes that support the energy upgrading of households and businesses, such as 'Photovoltaics for All'.
5. The strengthening of electromobility through sponsorship schemes for the purchase of electric and low emission cars.
6. The implementation of 'Pay as I Fly' in local authorities.

We are also actively involved in the development of the Net Zero Cyprus Roadmap, which will guide our country towards its decarbonisation by 2050.

The implementation of all decisions and policies passes through a strong, sustainable and innovative economy.

The implementation of all decisions and policies passes through a strong, sustainable and innovative economy. Vision 2035 is our roadmap for achieving the goal of making our Cyprus "an ideal place for everyone to work, live and do business". This ambitious Vision hosts under one umbrella a set of actions, many of which are funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan, guiding us towards a green, digital and sustainable State.

Already the Government, having set its priorities, is implementing policies and measures aimed at implementing a new economic model, which goes through the transition to a green and digital economy, the regeneration of the primary sector, as well as dynamic sectors such as technology and education.

The role of Local Authorities has been and continues to be important for the implementation of the Government's priorities and policies. They are the authorities that are closest to citizens and are the first to listen to their problems and needs. They are the link between the citizen and the central state. The reform of Local Government, which will be implemented this year, gives increased powers to the Local Authorities, but also the necessary tools to become administratively and financially independent, sustainable and efficient organisations.

As the Government, we are ready to implement this important reform, in cooperation with all institutions, competent bodies, social partners and citizens. It is therefore important to build partnerships and through partnership to reach this common goal. To implement the reform for the benefit of the citizen and to be constantly alert to the challenges we may face in its implementation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Initiatives such as today's make a major contribution to the implementation of the roadmap. The transition of our Cyprus to a new digital, green and sustainable economy is a very important challenge, which requires the adoption of new technologies, practices and policies that respect the environment, promote social justice and create economic prosperity for all citizens both today and in the future.

In closing, I would like to congratulate the initiators and organizers, "Oxygen for Democracy", the CUT and the Limassol Municipality, as well as all the participants who take part in this effort. On behalf of the Government, I assure you that we will stand as allies in this effort and we are confident that together we can achieve a better tomorrow for us, but especially for the young generation.

Thank you.

(PM/MS/GC)

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