Diversifying the region's economic base is “imperative”. AMAL – Algarve Intermunicipal Community promoted, this Wednesday, 11 November, a meeting of the InvestAlgarve network, and this need for the region to be more than tourism was an idea defended by both António Pina and José Apolinário.
The meeting had about 70 participants and had as guest speakers various individuals from the region.
The program included the presentation of several panels focused on three strategic themes: “The Instruments to Support the Recovery and Development of the Algarve (2021 – 2027)”; “The future of the agri-food sector in the Algarve” and “The employment situation in the Algarve and main planned measures”.
With regard to the speakers, several individuals participated in the meeting, especially from the Algarve, among them: Pedro Monteiro (DRAP Algarve), Sara Silva (Algarve Wine Commission), Vítor Neto (NERA), Miguel Freitas (UAlg), Luís Gomes (UAlg), Carlos Lobo (E&Y) and Madalena Feu (IEFP).
«Strengthening the Algarve's economy and improving the execution rates of regional operational programmes» are two of the main objectives that José Apolinário, the new chairman of the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR) points out for the coming years.
For this official, “it is also imperative – not least because the pandemic context that we are currently living in requires – to save companies in the region, strongly valuing the local economy”.
As for the Algarve Recovery Plan, which is being developed by AMAL in partnership with the University of Algarve, José Apolinário considered that «it is very important that it reaches a good port to prepare the region for the future, making it more resilient and with areas that are more diversified in their economic base, not only in the tourist sector”.
This idea was also defended by António Pina, president of AMAL – Algarve Intermunicipal Community. The mayor even said that "diversifying the economic areas of the Algarve is also AMAL's main banner in this process."
“We cannot be a region that continues to depend on the tourism sector for its development. It is a very important sector, but we cannot depend solely on it and the pandemic reminded us of that», he said.
The president of the Chamber of Olhão also stressed that “we need to encourage the habit of consuming locally. It is necessary, for example, to create awareness, both in those who live here and in those who visit us, that it is important to consume local products that are, in fact, of excellent quality».
The projects that are approved in this Recovery Plan will reflect the concern and expectations of the 16 municipalities of the Algarve in various areas (namely health, housing, mobility, climate change) and will have to be implemented by 2026.
The National Plan has a budget of 12,9 billion euros, financed through grants, with 70% disbursed during 2021 and 2022, and the remainder in 2023.
AMAL is developing this Plan for the region with the University of Algarve – Faculty of Economics and a team of consultants experienced in these matters.
“This is perhaps the greatest challenge for our region in the near future. And it is a challenge for everyone, so let us know how to defend and implement it», concluded António Pina.
Comments