The Ministry of the Sea, through the National Directorate of Maritime Policies, signed two important strategic cooperation instruments aimed at strengthening the blue economy in Cape Verde. These are a consultancy contract with the Technical University of the Atlantic (UTA) and a collaboration protocol with the Carlos Albertino Veiga Foundation.

The contract with UTA aims to create an innovative digital platform that will offer strategic solutions for the implementation of inclusive digital governance. The initiative intends to benefit all stakeholders – from government to civil society, including businesses and fishing communities – by promoting technological tools that facilitate the management and sustainable preservation of marine resources.

The protocol signed with the Carlos Albertino Veiga Foundation focuses on promoting applied scientific research, ocean literacy, technological innovation, the development of human capital, and the preservation of marine ecosystems.

During the ceremony, the Minister of the Sea, Jorge Santos, emphasized the essential role of civil society in implementing public policies for the maritime sector. "This is not just about the Veiga Foundation, but about several organizations with which the Ministry collaborates in the protection of marine species, the integration of fishing communities, and the strengthening of ocean literacy," stated the minister.

Santos also highlighted the importance of events such as Ocean Week in November and Expo Mar in September as platforms to promote the active participation of civil society organizations, including the Foundation, in the debate and implementation of policies for the sector. According to the minister, the “Campus do Mar” – a project led by UTA and its partner institutions – represents a strategic axis for the internationalization of education and the strengthening of the blue economy.

In the area of security, Jorge Santos advocated for close collaboration with NGOs and other entities in environmental protection, maritime safety, maritime transport, and combating threats affecting the oceans. One of the focuses of the new partnership will be the promotion of Marine Protected Areas, aligned with the international commitment to protect 30% of marine territory by 2030. In this sense, Cape Verde intends to strengthen cooperation with Macaronesian countries, such as the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands, taking advantage of experiences like that of the Azores, which leads in the protected maritime area of the region.

The minister also praised the recent approval by the Cape Verdean Parliament of the Biodiversity Agreement on Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), a global treaty that regulates the sustainable exploitation of the high seas. "With this approval, Cape Verde joins the group of 50 countries that have already ratified the agreement, bringing us closer to the minimum number of 60 ratifications required for its entry into force," declared Santos.

In turn, the president of the Carlos Albertino Veiga Foundation, Paulo Veiga, guaranteed his full availability to collaborate with public institutions, emphasizing that "we don't want anything from the State, but rather to contribute to disseminating and implementing the State's policy on the sea." According to him, the maritime sector is the most promising for the country's future, whose surface is composed of more than 99% sea.

The Foundation also intends to establish future partnerships with the School of the Sea and the Institute of the Sea, with the aim of strengthening the role of knowledge and action on the national maritime territory as a fundamental vector for the sustainable development of Cape Verde.

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https://noticiasdonorte.publ.cv/19969/governo-e-fundacao-veiga-unem-se-para-impulsionar-a-economia-azul-com-foco-em-inovacao-seguranca-e-preservacao-dos-oceanos/