The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, chaired today the opening session of the “V Maritime Security Course – Climate Change & Security Challenges in the Atlantic,” which is taking place in Ponta Delgada and will run until June 6.
Promoted by the Atlantic Centre, the initiative brings together representatives from various countries and institutions with direct responsibility for maritime security and the coordinated response to the consequences of climate change in the Atlantic.
The head of the Azorean Government expressed the Autonomous Region’s pride in hosting, for the fifth consecutive time, a course that he considered “fundamental for strengthening international cooperation in the area of maritime safety, especially in the face of the challenges posed by climate change.”
Underlining the archipelago’s strategic role, he stressed that “the Atlantic is the home of the Azores” and the islands’ identity has always been deeply shaped by their ties to the sea.
“Our geographical position confers on us a greater responsibility in safeguarding and promoting marine resources,” stated José Manuel Bolieiro.
Mentioning the growing impact of climate change on the Region, with more frequent extreme phenomena and disturbances in ocean ecosystems, the President reiterated the Azorean Government’s commitment to sea conservation.
In this regard, José Manuel Bolieiro highlighted the ongoing work under the Blue Azores program and the expansion of the Network of Marine Protected Areas, “based on scientific evidence and permanent dialogue with sea users.”
“The safety of the sea is also a matter of sovereignty and intergenerational justice. Protecting the oceans means guaranteeing the future,” he said.
He added: “Only through a joint response, based on respect for international law, will it be possible to effectively tackle the challenges we face.”
In his speech, the President of the Regional Government also highlighted cooperation with the Navy and the National Maritime Authority, as well as the investment in monitoring technology, as essential components of the regional strategy for protecting Azorean waters.
The course promoted by the Atlantic Centre – in conjunction with several international entities – aims to build capacities and develop a common approach to Atlantic security issues, particularly in the current context of global instability.
José Manuel Bolieiro also warned of the potential consequences of maritime environmental degradation: “The insecurity at sea and the destruction of ocean ecosystems would have devastating effects on coastal communities, including the Azores.”
The ceremony was attended by several individuals, including Admiral Nuno de Noronha Bragança, coordinator of the Atlantic Centre, the Ambassador of Argentina, Federico Alejandro Barttfeld; the Secretary for the Malvinas Islands, South Atlantic and Antarctica, Paola Di Chiaro; the Ambassador of Canada, Élise Racicot; the Ambassadors of Ivory Coast and Senegal, Annick Josiane Capet Bakou and Fatoumata Binetou Rassoul Correa, respectively; Commodore Paulo Jorge Conceição Lopes, representing the Chief of the Portuguese Naval Staff; the Chargé d’Affaires of Nigeria, Haruna Musa; and the Secretary of State for the Sea, Lídia Bulcão.
The “V Maritime Security Course” runs until June 6, bringing together experts, government representatives and policymakers from the Atlantic basin countries, with the common goal of strengthening maritime security and preparing shared responses to climate change.
Source: Press release @ azores.gov.pt
Related @ Speech by the President of the Government
The Azores (population 250,000) is a region of Portugal composed of nine islands. The archipelago, discovered by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, became an Autonomous Region of Portugal in 1976. The government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores includes the Legislative Assembly, composed of 57 elected deputies, elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term; the Regional Government and Presidency, with parliamentary legitimacy, composed of a President, a Vice-President and seven Regional Secretaries responsible for the Regional Government’s executive operations. The Autonomous Region of the Azores is represented in the Council of Ministers of the Central Government by a representative appointed by the President of Portugal. According to the latest US census, over 1.3 million individuals of Portuguese descent live in the United States, the majority with roots in the Azores. It is estimated that over 20,000 US citizens live in Portugal.
