The Government of the Azores invited today the Outermost Regions (ORs) of the European Union, their institutions of research and excellence in the maritime, environmental and aerospace fields to join the creation of the Azores International Research Center, which will be formalised in 2017.
 
"The complementarity of the work developed in the existing infrastructures as well as reciprocal interests regarding the development of the Atlantic as a centre of knowledge requires joint work and networking in order to seize all our potentialities," said Rodrigo Oliveira. He spoke on behalf of the President of the Government at the official opening of the 21st Conference of Presidents of ORs taking place in Funchal.
 
Rodrigo Oliveira stressed that "the excellence of the work carried out in several ORs in the fields of research and cutting-edge technologies, such as astrophysics and astronomy in the Canary Islands or space technology in Guyana, must be regarded in an overall perspective and in coordination."
 
The government official defended that "in the era of globalisation and at a time when Europe seeks to maintain its influence and global competitiveness," the ORs should "invest in promising sectors, innovation and science, development of new technologies and knowledge," with the decisive contribution of the EU and the indispensable support to traditional production.
 
"This is precisely what we are doing in the Azores, through the Azores International Research Center Project, an international research centre located in the middle of the Atlantic devoted to oceans sciences, climate change, use of space technologies and natural risks analysis. In addition to its scientific component of excellence, it will include an important component linked to economic exploration and new businesses," said the government official.
 
Even in the context of cooperation between ORs, the Regional Under Secretary stressed that, at a time when the next European framework will be under preparation, "the Regional Representation Office of the Azores and Madeira in Brussels will renew and improve the intervention capacity, not only of the Azores and Madeira but also of all Outermost Regions."
 
For the Regional Secretary, "the cooperation between the ORs, the permanent, coordinated and solidarity work that we carry out through this Conference is, indeed, of great importance for the present and for the future of each of our regions, especially in clear context of a setback in the European project and its values, such as cohesion and solidarity.”
 
"It is for this united and diverse Europe based on solidarity and open to the world that we work on a daily basis. This is the commitment that we annually renew at the Conference of Presidents of Outermost Regions," said Rodrigo Oliveira.
 
"We are, therefore, committed to optimising the potential of each of our regions and we do not forget that it is precisely the legal and political status of Outermost Region that legitimates our claims and underpins the European rules, policies and programmes adapted to our unique reality," added the Regional Under Secretary.