Norway has been hailed by Portuguese President Cavaco Silva as the ideal role-model and partner for Portugal to learn how to use its sea resources.
Embarking on a three-day visit to the Scandinavian country this morning (May 4) Cavaco said: “Norway is clearly a desirable partner for Portugal.”
“Both countries are connected to the sea and have a rich maritime history. In geographical terms, they are two maritime giants.”
In fact, the president declared that if the two countries joined forces, they could soon become maritime “leaders of Europe”.
The president’s desire to learn from Norway, as he told journalists on the way to the country, stems from the fact that the sea represents 20% of Norway’s GDP (gross domestic product) – while in Portugal it only accounts for 2%.
And as he explained, Norway and Portugal complement each other – the Scandinavian country possesses “ample fishing resources” and borders the Arctic Ocean; Portugal, on the other hand, boasts an “unmatchable maritime biodiversity” and is located at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea.
Cavaco’s official visit ends on Wednesday (May 8).
