The Regional Director for European Affairs stated in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the Canary Islands that the Hexagone strategic project will create a "solid foundation" for pursuing joint initiatives that boost growth and employment, thus stimulating the "economic, social and cultural" revitalisation of Azores-Madeira-Canary Islands-Cape Verde-Senegal and Mauritania cooperation space post 2020.
 
"In the Azores, Hexagone has enabled and fostered networking and the establishment of contacts throughout the cooperation area, with special emphasis on a more traditional space: Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Cape Verde," stated Célia Azevedo.
 
The Regional Director spoke at the opening session of the meeting of the platform for concertation between the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Development Fund (EDF) under the Hexagone project.
 
In her speech, Célia Azevedo stated that "the number of projects involving Azorean partners submitted in the second MAC call exceeds 129." In this context, she expressed her belief that these applications could soon become approved projects and that their implementation could generate "added value for the entire cooperation space covered by the programme."
 
"Currently, the Azores are the main beneficiaries of three projects with potential for concerted action," the Regional Director said, stressing that they are "capable of developing actions by reconciling the use of ERDF with EDF."
 
Célia Azevedo mentioned the "Craft & Art" project by Grater Association, "Alert4You" project by the Regional Directorate for Public Works and Communications of the Regional Government of the Azores, and the "Jarup III" project by the Association of Municipalities of the Azores.
 
The Regional Director stressed the importance of this meeting for the "significant number of projects, their diversity and the high level of mobilisation." On the occasion, she highlighted the "multiplier effects" that can involve, through ideas, good practices and realities of partners involved in this project, "envisioning the future of these projects and forthcoming projects."
 
The platform for concertation between ERDF and EDF and other European funding lines under the HEXAGONE strategic project is a coordination structure that plays a key role in the mobilisation of various players with a view to identifying and allocating funds under EDF and ERDF for common cooperation projects.