Nicosia, Cyprus. Space technologies, Earth Observation and artificial intelligence are becoming strategic tools for Europe’s competitiveness, resilience and security, speakers said at a high-level forum held in Nicosia under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026.
The forum brought together representatives of European institutions, governments, research organisations, businesses, investors and academia from several countries.
Forum focus
The forum, titled ‘From Space to Solutions: Leveraging Space Technology, Earth Observation & AI for Real-World Impact’, was co-organised by the Eratosthenes centre of excellence and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) within the framework of the EXCELSIOR project.
Speakers said the central message of the event was that space is no longer confined to scientific exploration, but has become a strategic sector with direct applications in the economy, security, climate resilience, agriculture, disaster management, shipping and public policy.
Strategic role in Europe
Participants pointed to the growing role of Earth Observation, satellite infrastructure, artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis in helping governments, businesses and researchers respond to social, environmental and economic challenges.
Opening the forum, Keve president Stavros Stavrou placed the discussion in the wider European context, saying Europe is seeking to strengthen its competitiveness, strategic resilience and technological dominance.
He said the combination of space technologies, Earth Observation systems, artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis is developing into one of the most important factors shaping Europe’s economic future.
Cyprus position
Referring to Cyprus, Stavrou emphasised the country’s geographical position at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, together with its developing innovation ecosystem, strong research institutions and expanding digital economy.
He said these factors create the conditions for Cyprus to make a meaningful contribution to Europe’s technological ambitions.
For the Eratosthenes centre of excellence, the forum also served as a reminder of how far Cyprus’ space and Earth Observation capabilities have developed in recent years.
