Digital Economy Navigator 2025 highlights Cyprus as regional leader

The Digital Cooperation Organisation (DCO) this week launched the Digital Economy Navigator 2025 (DEN 2025) during the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, highlighting Cyprus’ strong performance in digital governance, broadband expansion, and workplace digitalisation.

The report reinforces Cyprus’ position as one of the region’s leading digital economies, noting its commitment to secure infrastructure, innovation, and digital inclusion.

Covering 80 countries that together represent 94 per cent of global GDP and 85 per cent of the world’s population, the DEN 2025 provides a comprehensive, data-driven overview of global digital economy maturity.

The findings are based on 145 indicators and feedback from more than 41,000 respondents, offering insights for policymakers, investors, and businesses on how nations are building digital infrastructure, innovation capacity, and policy frameworks for sustainable growth.

Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou welcomed the findings.

“The DCO’s Digital Economy Navigator 2025 highlights Cyprus’ strong performance in digital governance, broadband speed and workplace digitalisation,” he stated.

He explained that “Cyprus’ continued investment in secure digital infrastructure and high-speed connectivity is enabling both citizens and businesses to benefit from reliable access and efficient online services”.

“We are proud to see our progress reflected in areas such as data protection, interoperability and the expansion of digital skills across our workforce,” Damianou continued.

“These results strengthen our vision of Cyprus as a trusted, innovative and inclusive digital hub for the region,” he added.

DCO Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya said that “the Digital Cooperation Organisation envisions a future where every nation can participate meaningfully in the digital economy, not only as consumers of digital services, but as creators and innovators”.

“DEN 2025 is a reminder that our collective progress depends on decisive action,” she stated.

“We must move from measuring digital transformation to accelerating it, with governments adopting agile and forward-looking policies, businesses investing with purpose and responsibility, and societies embracing innovation as a force for inclusion,” she added.

“The cost of inaction is exclusion, but the rewards of collaboration are limitless,” she said.

“If we work together across borders, sectors, and communities we can shape an inclusive, trusted, and sustainable digital future where every nation has the opportunity not only to participate, but to lead,” she added.

According to the DEN 2025, Cyprus has achieved notable improvements in fixed broadband speed and workplace digitalisation, driven by infrastructure upgrades and growing technology adoption among enterprises.

The country also ranks highly in digital governance, aligning closely with European Union standards on data protection, cybersecurity, and interoperability.

These achievements reflect Cyprus’ ongoing commitment to building a trusted, transparent, and innovation-friendly digital environment.

The report highlights Cyprus’ initiatives to expand public access to digital tools and strengthen digital skills development through education and training programmes.

Progress in online government services, consistent with European frameworks, has enhanced efficiency, trust, and competitiveness across the Cypriot economy.

Globally, the DEN 2025 shows that digitalisation is driving growth and inclusion across all income levels, with internet access now reaching more than four in five people.

Lower-middle-income countries are recording the fastest progress, and the report estimates that connecting underserved communities could allow 1.3 billion people to benefit from digital banking and online services, promoting shared prosperity.

The report also underscores the rapid progress of artificial intelligence and introduces a new “Digital for Sustainability” pillar, which highlights how technology can support efficient public administration and environmentally responsible innovation.

The DCO reported that Cyprus’ combination of advanced regulation and robust infrastructure positions it as a strong model for sustainable and secure digital transformation.

The organisation encourages policymakers, private-sector leaders, and regional institutions to use the DEN 2025 as a basis for collaboration and innovation.

Cyprus’ success in digital governance, connectivity, and inclusion demonstrates how long-term policy and infrastructure investment can deliver enduring economic and social benefits.