Lajes International Conference kicks off with José Manuel Bolieiro defending the Azores as "laboratory for the future" - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, chaired today the opening session of the Lajes International Conference – “Azores, from the Ocean to Space” in the municipality of Praia da Vitória, as part of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD).

The ceremony featured speeches by the Mayor of Praia da Vitória, Vânia Ferreira, the President of FLAD, Nuno Morais Sarmento, and the President of the Regional Government, before an audience comprising institutional representatives, diplomats, academics, and national and international guests.

The President of the Government took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of FLAD in bringing Portugal and the United States closer, congratulating the institution on its various initiatives and its “ability to creatively materialise the friendship between two peoples destined to share the Atlantic.”

José Manuel Bolieiro highlighted the geostrategic role of the Azores, recalling that the creation of FLAD stemmed from an “understanding of universal geopolitics and geostrategy,” in which the archipelago has always played a key role.

"The sea and space connect us; they are our safe passage to the world, to America, to development, to the future. There is more and more of America in the Azores, and we want there to be more and more of the Azores and Portugal in America," he stressed.

The head of the Azorean Government also highlighted the "opportunities" arising from scientific and technological cooperation, energy and digital transition, and sustainable mobility, mentioning, in particular, the strengthening of Atlantic digital connections with the installation of new submarine cables, such as those from Google (“Cloud” and "Sun") and the new CAM Ring system.

He added: “The Azores are crucial for digital connections in the North Atlantic. We account for 56% of Portugal's sea and are, therefore, a decisive territory in terms of the competitiveness and growth of the European Union.”

Pointing to the current international context of instability, José Manuel Bolieiro advocated strengthening Euro-Atlantic cooperation and reiterated the Azores’ ambition to become a “laboratory of the future” for global transitions.

“In the Azores, we are committed to leading by example, with environmental, cultural, social and economic sustainability. We want to contribute to peace, security and prosperity in Western liberal democracies,” he stressed.

The president of the Government also set the challenge for the Lajes International Conference to become a regular event, as a forum for debate and international projection of the Azores.

The session continued with the inaugural conference, delivered by Paulo Portas, former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of National Defence and Foreign Affairs.

The guest speaker presented a strategic reflection on the evolution of Euro-Atlantic security structure from the post-Cold War period to contemporary challenges, highlighting the role of the Atlantic Alliance, of which Portugal is a founding member, and the importance of the relations between the United States and Europe in preserving international peace and stability.

The opening session and inaugural conference marked the beginning of a two-day event bringing together academics, experts and policy makers to reflect on the role of the Azores in transatlantic cooperation, science, defence, economic development and the international projection of the Region.

Related press release: Speech by the President of the Government