During the World Ocean Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, Deputy Premier Walter Roban met with Luis Bernardo Costa Gomes de Brito e Abreu, Advisor to the President of the Azores on Sea Affairs, to discuss their respective plans for a sustainable Blue Economy and the common vision each country shares around preserving ocean health in their substantial Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).
They also discussed their objectives and opportunities to advance investment and job creation through renewable energy, sustainable fisheries, blue tourism, and new industries such as aquaculture.
Under the Blue Prosperity Coalition, the Azores and Bermuda partner with the Waitt Institute. According to its website, the Blue Prosperity Coalition is a coalition of NGOs, academic institutions, foundations, and other organizations working together to assist committed governments in developing and implementing sustainable marine spatial plans to protect the environment and improve the economy at the same time.
The Azores and Bermuda are also among the initial signatories of the "Hamilton Declaration on Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea", a political declaration that created the Sargasso Sea Commission and which celebrated its 10th anniversary on 11 March 2024.
Beyond ocean stewardship, they discussed the 170-year historical ties between the Azores and Bermuda.
Minister Roban explained, "I'm committed to exploring the creation of stronger cultural ties between the two island communities in light of the enduring links between our populations and our shared maritime heritage. Our islands should pledge to tell our stories and establish a more permanent relationship between governments to benefit both communities."
Future investments in technology will strengthen connections between Bermuda, Portugal, and the Azores. The public will recall the September 2023 announcement by Google of plans to lay a transatlantic subsea cable that will originate in Portugal and possibly transit through the Azores on its way to Bermuda and the United States. Google plans to build a transit hub in Bermuda, establishing another major telecom corridor across the Atlantic.