The competitiveness agenda Europe is now advancing is not new to us — it is the very agenda Cyprus has been implementing with determination and is now proving through RESULTS that it works. Since assuming office, we are delivering reforms to boost competitiveness and resilience. Cyprus is not only navigating these dynamics; it is leveraging them. This is precisely what makes it such a compelling hub for business and investment today. Through responsible governance, fiscal discipline, and the resilience of our people, Cyprus has not only decisively turned the page, it is rewriting the narrative. Cyprus today stands not only as a symbol of resilience, but as a European economic success story, embracing a new era of sustainable growth and economic engagement. Numbers, as you know all too well, speak louder and clearer. - Cyprus has recorded steady growth that is among the highest growth rates in the Eurozone. - In 2024, we achieved a growth rate of 3.9%, one of the highest in the Eurozone despite international geopolitical instability and the serious challenges faced by strong Eurozone member states. The forecast for 2025 is 3.4%, the third highest in the Eurozone. - Unemployment has fallen below 5%, with youth unemployment showing the largest decline among EU countries, while job vacancies are increasing, reflecting a dynamic labour market. - Primary surplus for 2024 has exceeded 4%, while public debt is already below 60% of GDP, representing one of the most significant declines in the EU. - For the first time since 2011, all major rating agencies have restored Cyprus to “A” investment-grade status. This represents a clear vote of confidence in our responsible economic policies. The IMF praised the Cyprus economy for demonstrating “impressive resilience”. They also go hand in hand with an extrovert and ambitious foreign policy. They are complementary, mutually reinforcing. To deliver on the foreign policy front, we need a strong, stable economy as a backdrop. And a robust foreign policy that builds strong partnerships that deliver needs a stable, strong economy. It is two circles that meet, overlap, and reinforce each other. 🇨🇾🇪🇺(NikosChristodoulides)