Cyprus-UAE AI MoU: Strengthening Global Partnerships and Accelerating AI Innovation

The AI MoU between Cyprus and the UAE is the culmination of a series of strategic engagements commencing from the participation of the Chief Scientist in Dubai AI & Web3 festival followed by strategic engagements between Deputy Minister Nicodemos Damianou, and AI Minister of UAE Mr Omar Sultan Olama that have taken place during Gitex, October  2024.

Deputy Minister Dr Nicodemos Damianou was in Gitex accompanied by Chief Scientist Mr Demetris Skourides further engaging with Kasna, a Data Center company of the G42 in an MoU building cooperation on building Cyprus first AI Green Data center.

In less than 12 months,  The Deputy Minister and Chief Scientist have represented Cyprus in both regional and  global AI forums including Saudi AI Leap, Gitex UAE, STS forum Japan, AI Singapore, and various EU policy events related to the EU Act.  The signing of the AI MoU with the UAE is Cyprus’s first MoU on AI outside the cooperation with EU member states.  Cyprus through Mr Demetris Skourides who is also the Chairman of the AI Taskforce, and Dr Marios Polycarpou also participate in the AI Atlantic Council of the US, and their participation has set the country for transfer of know how with advanced AI countries including USA, UAE, and Israel where Cyprus already cooperates in the areas of Cybersecurity and AI.  These developments highlight Cyprus’s serious commitment under the Chairman of the AI Taskforce working with the Deputy Minister to move beyond programs and MoU to creating impact for citizens, through AI adoption in Public service.

In my capacity as Chair of the National AI Taskforce, which has just been instituted, I am dedicated to fostering strategic global partnerships that drive meaningful AI advancements. Following the latest interactions with leading AI countries, a collaboration with UAE, which is one of the most advanced countries in the public sector use of AI, the U.S. as the world’s AI innovation leader, Japan as one of the top 10 countries in AI, and Israel, the global champion of AI cybersecurity.  Skourides stated that in addition to the interactions with other Policy stakeholder on both AI Atlantic council and EU AI committee, We are committed to fostering ans supporint responsible AI governance structures.

The MoU with the United Arab Emirates comes at a time where Cyprus is revising its national AI strategy, and having the opportunity to exchange know-how and receive best practice from the UAE, one of the top AI adooters in public sector globally is expected to create substantial value.  This AI MoU will focus on accelerating Cyprus’s readiness for AI adoption aligned to the EU AI Act, and will build on the solid foundation of AI research already taking place.  Cyprus’s mature AI research and development ecosystem can complement the R&D efforts undertaken in the UAE creating powerful push pull syergies for both countries.

The specifics of the collaboration and implementation will be outlined as part of the engagement of the Chief Scientist, supported by the Deputy Ministry and the AI task force with the AI ministry of the UAE, in addition to the required actions to fast track cooperation with Cyprus and the Digital Chamber of Commerce.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the stakeholder on H.E Omar Sultan Al Olama’s team for building this joint vision and executing diligently on it.   There exists substantial work to be undertaken on infrastructure projects such as AI factory however together, we are paving the way for  Cyprus a becoming a regional AI powerhouse!