Boa Vista hosts the V Ocean Decade Conference on Science, Governance and the Blue Economy

On 23–24 July, the V Ocean Decade Conference took place on Ilha da Boa Vista, Cape Verde, bringing together political leaders, international organisations, researchers and practitioners. The event served as a major international forum dedicated to advancing ocean science, blue economy development and sustainable governance for Small Island Developing States, and provided a space to discuss shared priorities for the UN Ocean Decade.

The official opening session set the tone for two days of high-level dialogue. The President of the Republic of Cape Verde and Patron of the Ocean Decade Alliance, José Maria Neves, underscored the urgency of strengthening ocean action and blue justice. António José Seguro, President of the Republic of Portugal, highlighted the importance of scientific cooperation and ocean literacy across the Atlantic. The session also included interventions by João do Carmo Soares, Minister of Transport and the Sea (TBC), Jean‑Marie Frentz, Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to Cape Verde, Dr. Khaled El‑Enany, Director‑General of UNESCO, and Claudio Mendonça, President of the Municipality of Boa Vista, who welcomed participants to the island.

Across multiple panels, the conference explored key themes shaping the future of ocean governance in island nations. Discussions addressed sustainable coastal and marine tourism, blue food systems and aquaculture, circular economy solutions for marine litter, climate resilience and digital innovation, maritime security, youth engagement, and new financing mechanisms for conservation and blue‑economy transformation. Experts from West Africa, Europe and international institutions shared perspectives on how science, policy and community action can be better aligned to support sustainable ocean development. IMAR - Institute of the Sea played an active role throughout the programme, contributing scientific expertise to discussions on sustainable fisheries, coastal resilience and marine governance, and sharing insights from ongoing research in West Africa and Macaronesia.

The AIR Centre’s Executive Director, Miguel Miranda, attended the conference, reinforcing its commitment to international cooperation and knowledge exchange across the Atlantic.

Ahead of the conference, the Blue Youth Hackathon Exchange ran in parallel from 18 to 24 July, bringing together young people, researchers, entrepreneurs and coastal community representatives to co-create innovative solutions for climate and ocean challenges. Researcher Ana Faria served as a mentor for the "Technology and Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean" track, supporting young participants in applying scientific evidence and digital solutions to real-world ocean and blue economy challenges.

The event concluded with the presentation of the Boa Vista Declaration, a consolidated set of recommendations for strengthening ocean science, policy coordination and blue justice throughout the remainder of the UN Ocean Decade.