The development of a national framework for strategy and promotion of smart cities (Smart Cities) was approved by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on 13.11.2020, following a proposal by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy (YFEKIP).
This initiative is part of the Government's broader plan to achieve the digital and green transition and promote innovation as tools of social prosperity and sustainable economic growth in today's ever-changing and highly competitive international environment.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate the project, cooperate with all partners (competent Ministries, Local Government, etc.), and provides for the definition and adoption of the necessary reforms and policies. The infrastructure that allows the significant creation of smart cities all over Cyprus uniformly takes advantage of economies of scale to implement the various actions.
Utilizing smart grids and digital applications offers solutions to modern urban challenges, including mobility issues (traffic management, parking availability), e-government services, security (emergency management), and environmental protection ( saving resources, reducing pollution).
This initiative is entirely in line with the European Union's development strategy aimed at a modern, digital, resource-efficient, and competitive economy and a climate-neutral European territory. It is expected to be a driving force for upgrading the service and improving citizens' quality of life. It can also be financed by various financial instruments, such as the European Structural and Investment Funds, Horizon Europe, and Digital Europe, the first purely digital financial EU program and part of the long-term budget 2021-2027.