Cyprus will nominate former Minister Dr. Costas Kadis as new EU Commissioner

The Republic of Cyprus will nominate Dr. Costas Kadis for the position of Commissioner in the European Commission, Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis has announced o, noting that President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides has thanked and congratulated outgoing Cypriot EU Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.

In a written statement, the Spokesman stated that, "the Republic of Cyprus will nominate Professor Costas Kadis for the position of Commissioner in the European Commission." He added that "Dr. Kadis' experience from the various institutional positions he has held in service of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as his academic background and expertise, are key factors in his selection for the important role of Commissioner".

He also said that President Christodoulides had a telephone conversation last week with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during which they exchanged views on the matter, and he informed her about the criteria behind his decision and the person he intends to nominate.

Letymbiotis also noted that the President "wishes to express his heartfelt thanks and congratulate the outgoing Commissioner,  Stella Kyriakides, for her work and significant contribution in the field of Health, especially during a critical period for the European Union, amidst the pandemic".

Stella Kyriakides served as Health and Food Safety Commissioner from 2019-2024.

Dr. Kadis served as Minister of Health in the government of the late Tassos Papadopoulos from July 2007 until February 2008. He also served as Minister of Education and Culture in 2014–2018, and as Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment from 2018 - 2023 during Nikos Anastasiades' governance.

Kadis thanked President Christodoulides in a post on the X platform.

Dr. Kadis' CV:

Dr. Costas Kadis, who will be nominated by the Cyprus government to succeed the outgoing Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, is a Professor of Biodiversity Conservation and former Minister of the Republic of Cyprus.

In a post on X, Kyriakides conveyed her best wishes for success to her friend, as she noted, Costas Kadis.

Kadis was born in Nicosia in 1967 and graduated from the Department of Biology - University of Athens in 1991, where he also received a PhD in Conservation Biology in 1995. Prof. Kadis has completed other postgraduate courses, including the Intensive Course on “Mediterranean Landscape Ecology” at the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies of Chania and the course on “Approaches to the administration of publicly funded scientific research in the USA” at Cornell University.

His professional career began at the University of Athens, where he worked as a postdoctoral researcher. In 1996 he returned to Cyprus and joined Enalion Environmental Management Centre of the Cyprus Development Bank, as a scientific consultant. In 1998 he joined the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus, where he held various positions, including Deputy Director General.

In 2005, he joined the faculty of Frederick University and established the Nature Conservation Unit within the University. He also served as Dean of the School of Education. Under these capacities, he coordinated numerous research projects and built networks of cooperation with dozens of universities, research centers, and scientists in Europe and internationally. These projects were funded by the European Commission, the United Nations, the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus, the Government of Cyprus, and other funding agencies.

Prof. Kadis is the author and co-author of six scientific books, and more than 50 scientific articles published in international journals and proceedings of professional conferences, after peer review, focusing on the sustainable management of natural resources, biodiversity conservation, and environmental education.

From July 2007 to February 2008 Costas Kadis served as Minister of Health of the Republic of Cyprus.

In March 2008 he was appointed by the President of the Republic of Cyprus as the Leader of the Greek Cypriot Technical Committee on the Environment, and led talks with the Turkish Cypriot Technical Committee, within the framework of the Government’s efforts for the reunification of Cyprus. Their efforts led to agreement for the implementation of important environmental cooperation initiatives between the two communities.

In March 2014, Costas Kadis was appointed by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, as Minister of Education and Culture and served in this position until February 2018. In March 2018, he was appointed by the President as Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, where he served until February 2023.

During this time, he introduced a number of important structural reforms and implemented landmark projects for Cyprus in his areas of responsibility. Indicatively, within the scope of education, after more than 30 years of discussions, he brought consensus for the introduction of a transparent and merit-based appointment system in education. He also led the implementation of Sports and Music Gymnasiums in all cities of Cyprus and the operation of summer schools, which were embraced by the Cypriot society. He also directed the establishment of the Cyprus Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education and the establishment of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters and Arts.

At the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, he collaborated with the competent authorities of Cyprus and the European Commission, for the successful registration of the most important Cypriot agricultural product ("Halloumi"/"Hellim"). He also led the efforts for the approval, after decades of discussions, of the Local Plan for the Akamas peninsula, one of the most ecologically important areas of Cyprus, in a way that is compatible with the EU acquis. Moreover, he guided the introduction of a new risk management system in the agricultural sector of Cyprus.

As a Minister, Costas Kadis represented the Republic of Cyprus in the EU Ministerial Councils of Health, Education - Youth - Culture - Sports, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Environment. Moreover, he represented Cyprus at Meetings of Heads of State, international Ministerial Conferences (e.g. United Nations Conferences on Climate, Biodiversity, UNEP, UNESCO etc.), and bilateral and trilateral thematic regional ministerial meetings (e.g. Cyprus - Greece - Israel, Cyprus - Greece - Jordan, Cyprus - Egypt etc.). He also chaired the Committee of Ministers of Education of the Council of Europe, when the Republic of Cyprus held the Presidency of the Council of Europe (2017).

Prof. Kadis chaired the following International Ministerial Meetings organized in Cyprus:

(i) Ministerial Meeting of Mediterranean Countries on Education for Sustainable Development, Nicosia 2016.

(ii) Meetings of Environment Ministers of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East Countries, in the framework of the Cyprus Initiative for Cooperation among the countries of the region to address Climate Change. Nicosia, 2021 and Limassol, 2022.

(iii) 9th Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) "Environment for Europe", Nicosia, 2022.

Prof. Kadis was the Chair of the Organizing Committee and keynote speaker at the Heads of State Regional Meeting, which was organized in the framework of the Republic of Cyprus Initiative for Cooperation among the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern region to address Climate Change, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, COP 27, 2022.

In May 2023, Costas Kadis returned to Frederick University, where he was appointed as Deputy President of the University’s Council and elected as Professor of Biodiversity Conservation. At the same period, he was appointed as the President of the UNESCO Cyprus National Commission.

He is married to children’s book author and environmental scientist Marina Michaelidou-Kadi, and they have two children, Sophia and Christopher.

(Source: CNA)