As previously reported, Cape Verde was one of the stop-overs in The Ocean Race. In January 2023 the race stopped over in Mindelo on the island of São Vicente for the first time. This was considered a very successful event. There were more than 70,000 visitors to Ocean Live Park and over 2,200 school children took part in workshops. The Ocean Race summit in Mindelo was attended by 344 people and it was covered by 40 international media organisations.
Now the Ocean Race and the Cape Verde government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. This could mean that the country will host more stop-overs in the race and also host more race summits. The race and Cape Verde will also work together on promoting ocean health through both sport and science.
This announcement was made by the Cape Verde Prime Minister in New York. Ulisses Correia e Silva was taking part in an Ocean Race summit. A proposal was tabled at the General Assembly of the United Nations on Ocean Rights. At the summit the Prime Minister said:
‘Cabo Verde and The Ocean Race have established a special partnership through the signing of an MOU [Memorandum of Understanding] today. This collaboration is designed to promote the Rights of the Ocean, the Ocean Science programme, the blue economy [an economic system or sector that seeks to conserve marine and freshwater environments] and Cabo Verde as a tourist destination in water sports and eco-tourism.’
Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of the Ocean Race stated that:
‘In Cabo Verde we have a partner who is pushing forward at the leading edge of a movement and shares our vision that sport can play a role in protecting the ocean.
‘In January of this year we hosted a very successful edition of The Ocean Race Summit in Cabo Verde and together with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, we welcomed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the importance of Ocean Rights as a way to protect and restore health of the ocean.
‘This week we have taken another step on that journey with the introduction of Ocean Rights at the United Nations. This is the first step towards a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights, in Cabo Verde, and in Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, we have a steadfast partner to join us on this mission in a way that will benefit all stakeholders of the Race.’
The Cape Verde islands have always been a known to participants in the race. The sailors have had to decide whether to sail between the islands of sailing around the archipelago. The issue being the potential for wind shading by the islands.
[29 September 2023]
