IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Ιnternet access in Cyprus households increased to 92.8% from 89.6% in 2019, according to official data released Friday.

According to the survey on information and communication technologies, 90.5% of people aged 16-74 use the internet at least once a week.

The percentage is higher for those aged 16–24 with 99.6% using the internet at least once a week.

Due to adversity, Cyprus has had to up its game in digital technology by offering online government solutions to help the public and businesses navigate the COVID-19 lockdown.

Deputy Minister of Innovation Kyriacos Kokkinos told CNA that his newly established ministry is focusing on preparations to offer more online services to help through the crisis.

Kokkinos said adjustments to the action plan have been made since his new Deputy Ministry was established in March due to needs dictated by the crisis and social distancing.

Cyprus needs to get connected after being ranked among the bottom five EU countries in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) published by the European Commission.

Despite having improved its score in all five areas covered by the Index, Cyprus still performed poorly compared to the EU average coming 24th out of 28 member states (including the UK).

The pandemic has accelerated Cyprus’ digitalisation process as it plays catch-up with the rest of the world as the need for faster internet grows.

And the Cyprus Telecommunication Authority is rolling out faster internet projects years ahead of schedule.

Cyta crews have been seen on the streets laying a fibre optic network, speeding up the project to offer consumers super high speeds, fast-forwarding the process by at least four years.

As Cyprus needs to get connected to keep up with the rest of the world when it comes to digitalising the economy, authorities have decided to step in to boost the country’s fast internet infrastructure.

After ranked among the bottom five EU countries in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), for another year, the Deputy Ministry of Innovation decided the state must cover the investment gap in laying the groundwork for fast internet connections.

Cyprus Shipping ministry has signed a new contract to accelerate digitalisation and its

The €1.582m agreement with the CSC consortium which combines Cyprus-based Cellock Ltd, SignalGenerix Ltd and Computer Resources International (Luxemburg) S.A follows a successful tender process and marks the start of a digital transformation of Cyprus shipping through a dedicated project funded by European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility Program.

We are used to businesses whining in Cyprus. Sometimes it’s justified and sometimes it’s not, but overall, there is often a mentality that we should not ever sympathise with them.

Not all enterprises are part of ‘big business’. Someone might be supporting their whole family from a small specialised shop, which was a point made by businesses along the upper part of Makarios avenue during a recent discussion at the House over road changes affecting their custom.

One of the earliest implementation of biometric technology for authentication, fingerprint sensors have been around since 2007. But it wasn’t until the iPhone 5S’ launch in 2013 that recognition of its potential mass adoption grew. With analysts forecasting a US$50 billion biometric industry, vendors are racing to introduce commercial-grade biometric solutions to support payments.

Bank of Cyprus will be replacing PIN code with biometric technology to authenticate cardholder. It what Gemalto claims will be the world’s first EMV biometric dual interface payment card for both chip and contactless payments.

The digital divide has grown wider than ever as Cyprus’ education system, society and business, were caught off guard when dealing with a new environment of social distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a time when health and safety measures prompted the public sector to limit its physical interaction and schools were closed, the role of technology in managing this situation has become even more crucial, according to secondary school teachers.

The House Institutions Committee was informed by the public administration and personnel department that the SMS system was expected to be up and running in 2013.

Cyprus has made great strides in the provision of e-government services, Undersecretary to the President Constantinos Petrides said on Monday.

At a news conference to update the public on the latest state of play, Petrides said a system for electronic signatures would be available by the end of 2017, which would cut the need for the public to visit certain government offices in person. The system is to be put out to tender in early 2017.

The capital of Cyprus joined the map of innovative European cities, following the direction for smart and sustainable cities, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday, at the inauguration of the project “Development of Smart City Infrastructure and Systems” of Nicosia Municipality, in the framework of “THALIA 2021-2027” project.

He said that Cyprus, due to its size, can achieve the goal of a green and digital Europe much faster than other EU member states, adding that Nicosia, being a pioneer, has already implemented a series of effective smart solutions for the residents of the capital through the co-financed “THALIA 2021-2027” project.

Marcoullis was speaking at the third annual telecommunications conference Infocom 2011 yesterday, which focused on the use of digital technology to boost economic development.

Internet coverage island wide has taken a mammoth leap since 2009 with coverage rate jumping from a meagre 30 per cent to 100 per cent by 2010, surpassing the European average rate of 82.5 per cent, according to Marcoullis.

The objectives of the plan are to modernise the public sector to operate without paper, simplify processes and save costs and to provide citizens and businesses with a more friendly environment when it comes to red-tape.

The government’s Data Warehouse is a powerful tool for combating tax evasion, fraud and corruption, Finance Minister Harris Georgiades said on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference at the state information technology services to present the newly established data system, the minister said that this was an “important, strategic project of crucial importance to the government but mainly to the public”.

As municipalities across Cyprus announce plans to become “smart cities”, we take a deep dive into this new model, and specifically what this means for the future of mineral exploration and investment.

Although the term “smart city” has become a buzzword in city planning departments over the past few years, it is often little understood.

After years of delays, some vital government services have been transformed within weeks

E-Government has been given a big boost by the coronavirus, with the authorities forced by social distancing decrees to speed up digitisation of state services. Some programmes have been put in place within days in stark contrast to the glacial pace of the past.

Last week, Uche, a Nigerian studying in Ukraine shared his story. He answered the question of what to consider when deciding what country to study.

For Victor in  this week’s Digital Nomad, deciding to study in Cyprus came down to one reason: resumption time.

Victor tells me: “I had admission offers all over. From the US to the UK as well as the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. But at the time, there was the ASUU 6 months strike which meant I had to look for a quick alternative.”

A council set up to improve Cyprus’s e-government services has failed to meet its three-year targets, an audit service report said on Tuesday.

The council’s aims, drawn up in October 2015, included providing more public services online through the Ariadne platform, electronic signatures and authentication, exchange of data between different government departments, digitizing government grant schemes and moving towards a ‘paperless’ public service (eOasis).