Calls for collaboration at ANIMA Annual Forum

Tarak Cherif, President, ANIMA Investment Network, said that Mediterranean countries shared common problems, including those connected to the environment. This, he said, meant that the countries should work together to solve them, addressing the ANIMA Annual Forum in Nicosia.

Speaking in French, Cherif continued that while it was difficult to turn negative developments into positive ones, there was interest in finding financial opportunities within efforts to combat climate change, through what Cherif described as green and blue economic opportunities.

Evgenios Evegeniou, Chairman, Invest Cyprus explained the organisation’s role and noted that, while Cyprus was experiencing some of the consequences of climate change, it was well-rated in terms of its work to save the environment, work that needed to continue to ensure its ongoing health and improvement. He also called for collaboration towards combating the challenges of climate change.

Also addressing the event, Charalambos Papatryfonos of the Directorate for Research and Innovation, and speaking on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy, also called for collaboration.

The urgency of addressing environmental challenges, he said, meant that partnerships and sharing best practices were vitally important.

“Cyprus is committed to research, and innovation, recognises the importance of collaborations, which the government supports,” he said. This support, Papatryfonos continued, comes through fostering innovation and knowledge exchange.

“By pooling expertise, ideas can accelerate innovation, and this conference is an excellent opportunity to do so,” he continued.

The ANIMA Investment Network's Annual Forum is being held in association with Invest Cyprus. On the occasion of the business forum “Euromed Innovations for the Planet”, a sequence of events will be organised, as well as the ANIMA Annual General Assembly.

The Forum is targeted at Business and Innovation Support Organisations from Europe, North Africa and Middle East, as well as investors and international organisations active to support enterprises in this region. It aims at mobilising the Euromed Business community to move on with a common agenda of innovation and transition adapted to the global challenges and launch the Euromed i-House to support the implementation of this roadmap.

ANIMA and Invest Cyprus also joined forces to create Euromed i-House, a resource centre and collaboration hub for the Euromed region, to serve innovative enterprises and research valorisation and develop solutions to face the social and ecological transition. This centre is located in the heart of Nicosia.

The event is being carried out with the support of Euromed Clusters Forward and EBSOMED (Enhancing Business Support Organisations and Business Networks in the Southern Neighbourhood) in partnership with Invest Cyprus.

The Gold Sponsor is AstroBank, the Silver Sponsor is Bank of Cyprus and the event is coordinated by IMH. InBusiness and GOLD are media sponsors.