The Cape Verdean Minister of the Sea, Jorge Pedro Mauricio dos Santos, praised the Royal Atlantic Initiative on Wednesday in El Jadida, calling for port integration with Morocco to become the foundation of co-development in Africa.
Speaking at the opening of the 1st International Ports and Ecosystems Exhibition (SIPORTS 2026), held in El Jadida April 1 to 3, the Cape Verdean official expressed his country’s support for the Atlantic Initiative spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, stating that it represents “the solution” and “the path to follow,” particularly in the current geopolitical context marked by growing instability and its repercussions on logistics chains and maritime transport.
He underlined his country’s exceptional geostrategic proximity to Morocco, and called for a relationship of complementarity between the two nations’ port hubs. In this regard, he mentioned the future Dakhla Atlantic Port, which will be a “natural partner” for Cape Verde’s port strategy.
The Official also presented the Praia-Takoradi maritime project, which aims to transform the Praia Harbor into a regional integration hub linking 14 countries, with a land component that includes a highway from Dakar to Abidjan. He stressed the alignment of this program with Morocco’s ongoing port modernization projects.
Recalling that the blue economy represents 21% of Cape Verde’s GDP and 19% of the country’s national employment, dos Santos stressed the urgent need for South-South cooperation. He described it as a necessity that is “no longer merely desirable, but indispensable” in the face of the challenges of energy transition, the decarbonization of maritime transport, and the digitalization of ports.
He concluded by reaffirming Praia’s commitment to working within the framework of the African Atlantic States Process (AASP) to “concretize this common vision” of an integrated and competitive Atlantic Africa.
SIPORTS 2026, a major event gathering decision-makers, experts, and national and international operators from the maritime and port sectors, provides a strategic platform for exchange, experience-sharing, and the development of partnerships in response to the major changes sweeping the port sector on a global scale.
SIPORTS 2026 offers a rich scientific program, including thematic conferences and B2B meetings, as well as an exhibition space structured around several hubs dedicated to port industries, port operations, training, and scientific research.
