Newsroom
President Nikos Christodoulides has wrapped up a whirlwind trip across the United States, pitching Cyprus as a solid bet for international investors and laying the groundwork for some big-name partnerships, particularly in finance, energy, and tech.
The message was clear: Cyprus isn’t just a sunny destination, it’s a smart place to invest.
The visit, which took him from New York to Houston and then to Silicon Valley, was all about one message: Cyprus is open for business and ready to take its place on the global investment map.
Talking Money in New York
In New York, Christodoulides met with top investment funds, banks and financial players. He made the case for Cyprus as a financially sound and stable country, highlighting its 3.4% growth rate (one of the best in the Eurozone), a shrinking national debt, and an unemployment rate under 5%.
Cyprus’ recent upgrade to “Category A” by all the major credit rating agencies added extra weight to his pitch, along with the country’s stable tax and regulatory environment. The message was clear: Cyprus isn’t just a sunny destination, it’s a smart place to invest.
Energy Talks in Texas
Next stop: Houston, where the President met with energy giants Chevron and Exxon, both of which are active in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Discussions focused on speeding up the development of offshore natural gas reserves.
One major update, Chevron is set to begin seabed exploration this summer for a new pipeline that would carry gas from the “Aphrodite” field to Egypt. It’s part of a broader strategy to turn Cyprus into a key player in the region’s energy game.
Silicon Valley: Cyprus Goes Tech
In San Francisco, Christodoulides entered tech territory, visiting major players like OpenAI, Amazon, Google, Nvidia, and Oracle. Cyprus is pitching itself as a rising tech hub, and the message seems to be getting through.
Two companies, Tenstorrent and Plug and Play, announced plans to launch operations in Cyprus. And tech giants like Amazon and Nvidia expressed interest in exploring collaborations. With the tech sector already contributing 14% to Cyprus’ GDP, this could be just the beginning.
Diaspora Power and Big-Picture Goals
The President also met with successful Cypriots living in the U.S., many of whom hold leadership roles in top global companies. They’ve offered to help fuel Cyprus’ growth by sharing their expertise and tapping into their global networks, part of a broader push to turn brain drain into brain gain.
The government says this trip is part of a larger plan to modernize the economy, attract long-term investments, and promote Cyprus as a reliable, forward-thinking partner, especially in a region full of geopolitical uncertainty.
“The interest we’re seeing isn’t a fluke, it’s the result of focused, methodical work,” a government statement said. “Cyprus is evolving, gaining ground, and showing it can compete on the global stage.”
In short, Christodoulides returned from the U.S. with a clear message: Cyprus means business.
*With info from CNA
