The Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) took part in the presentation event of the projects approved in the first call of the INTERREG MAC 2021–2027 Programme, held in São Tomé and Príncipe.
On December 12, a presentation event was held in São Tomé to showcase the projects approved in the first call of the INTERREG MAC 2021–2027 Programme, with the participation of partners from São Tomé and Príncipe. This meeting marks the beginning of a new phase of territorial cooperation that, for the first time, includes this African country as a beneficiary of the programme, participating in 15 projects under the MAC Green and Smart MAC priorities.
Representing the ITC, project technician and cooperation programme expert Javier Acerete presented the WACCID and INNOVABLUE projects. Meanwhile, Marianna Venuleo, Head of the Biotechnology Department, outlined the goals of ACUICONECTA, and Abenchara Betancor, technician from the same department, highlighted the planned activities in NATUR-EXT. These four projects, approved in the first call of the INTERREG MAC cooperation programme between Macaronesian territories and neighboring countries in West Africa, are led by the ITC and include partners from São Tomé and Príncipe in their consortia.
The event, organized within the framework of the strategic ATLANTE project, featured the participation of high-level institutional representatives, including the Minister of Planning, Finance and Blue Economy of São Tomé and Príncipe, Ginésio Valentim Afonso da Mata; the Director General for European Affairs of the Government of the Canary Islands, Celia Alberto Pérez; and representatives from the governments of the Azores and Madeira.
Interregional Cooperation
The projects presented by the ITC reflect the partnerships established within the MAC cooperation framework to address sustainable development challenges and explore new smart growth opportunities benefiting local communities across Macaronesia and Africa:
- INNOVABLUE. Focused on blue tourism, this project aims to replicate and expand initiatives related to nautical tourism by promoting environmental innovation and digitalization to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of the nautical sector in Senegal, Cape Verde, Ghana, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- NATUR-EXT. This project will establish a bioindustrial platform to transform biological raw materials, promote the circular economy, and restore degraded soils, integrating renewable energy and training in countries such as Senegal and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- WACCID. Designed to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities in West Africa and Macaronesia to climate change, WACCID will implement low-carbon solutions and improve access to basic resources such as water, energy, and food.
- ACUICONECTA. This project will promote collaborative research in sustainable aquaculture between the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands, integrating African Atlantic countries to address shared challenges and improve safe and sustainable food production.
The event was opened with speeches from representatives of the European Commission and diplomatic delegations from Portugal and Spain. In addition to the presentations, a networking session was held to strengthen partnerships between participants and explore new cooperation opportunities for future programme calls.
These initiatives reinforce the ITC’s leadership in international cooperation, promoting innovative and sustainable solutions.
Related news: Presentation in São Tomé and Príncipe of the new INTERREG MAC projects
