User:Ghkcy/Nicos Kouyialis

Nicos Kouyialis is a Greek Cypriot politician. He served as Minister of Environment and Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of Cyprus during the period of 2013 - 2018.

Biography
Nicos Kouyialis was born in Nicosia on March 30, 1967. He studied at the North Carolina State University in the Unite States, where he obtained a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering. He served as the president of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) of the United Kingdom and an elected member of the World Council of IET. In addition, he was President of the Institute of Electrical Engineering (IEE) of the United Kingdom from 2004-2006. He was employed by the Cyprus Electricity Authority as an electrical engineer. He was a trade unionist in the guild of the scientific staff of the EAC (SEPAIK), holding the position of assistant secretary. In addition, he has taught at the University of North Carolina as a lecturer in telecommunications. He is married and has three children.

Political Career
He was a member of the European Party (Cyprus), of which he was also vice-president. On March 1, 2013, Nicos Kouyialis was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment in the government. On August 2013, Cyprus signed agreement with Greece and Israel to link the three countries’ electricity grids via an underwater cable. On April 22, 2016 Mr Kouyialis represented Cyprus in the United Nations and signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. He has led the governments remarkable changes in the public’s perception of recycling for promoting programmes aimed at the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste. Furthermore, he has shown a personal commitment and given real leadership to receive Protected Designation of Origin status for multiple Cypriot agriculture products and foodstuffs. During his tenure the ministry was renamed the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment.