“We are building one of the engines for the development of Cape Verde, the blue economy” – Minister of the Sea, Abraão Vicente

The Minister of the Sea began by listing the technical and legal instruments such as the “blue economy policy charter, the program and unified strategic framework for promoting the blue economy in Cape Verde, the national investment plan and the blue economy observatory and, finally, the Intersectoral Steering Committee for the blue economy.

The sector of the blue economy was under debate this Wednesday, 08, in the first plenary session of the month of February. In his interventions, Minister Abraão Vicente presented the main lines, vision and projects that the Government of Cape Verde has for the implementation of the blue economy in the country to the parliamentary subjects.

The Minister of the Sea began by listing the technical and legal instruments such as the “blue economy policy charter, the program and unified strategic framework for promoting the blue economy in Cape Verde, the national investment plan and the blue economy observatory and, finally, the Intersectoral Steering Committee for the blue economy, “demonstrating that for the executive led by the Prime Minister, José Ulisses Correia e Silva , the blue economy is at the center of his policies for the development of the country”.

In terms of financing the blue economy, he highlighted the fact that Cape Verde now has a blue taxonomy that allows for clear scientific criteria on what can be considered an investment in the blue economy and thus be financed via blue bonds, piloted and led by the stock exchange of values.

At the port level, the transition to blue ports, the construction of the Cruise Terminal in S. Vicente, under the leadership of Enapor , passing through nautical sports with revision of the marina concession law that could increase this segment of the sector.

Minister Abraão Vicente also pointed out the meritorious work that the maritime port authority, the IMP – Instituto Marítimo Portuário, has been developing jointly with IPIAAM , and which guarantees the safety of navigation in our waters.

In fishing, he presented the lines of credit made available by the Government for artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial fishing, the construction of a new line of fishing landing points and investments in infrastructure to support fishing, pointing out as one of the examples, the Pedra dock de Lume, which will be delivered on the 10th of February, and that of Santa Cruz, on the 24th of February.

Still in the fishing sector, he highlighted Nortuna and Fazenda de Camarões, projects linked to aquaculture in the country, which are presented as an alternative and balance between the protection and conservation of the marine ecosystem, whose work has been led by the National Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture and supervised by the General Fisheries Inspection .

With regard to teaching and research, the role that Campus do Mar has played is undeniable. Scientific research at the Instituto do Mar and at the Oceanographic Centre, a reference in the sub-region. This sector is complemented by professional and technical training at the Escola do Mar Cabo Verde (EMAR) and Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA ).

For Abraão Vicente, “innovation is the rudder and the compass for the blue economy sector”, and his intervention included public recognition of the entire ecosystem of the sea, which has worked diligently in the construction and implementation of this which appears as an engine of development of the country, the blue economy.