The Regional Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations highlighted in Horta the broad consensus achieved by political forces represented at the Legislative Assembly on the importance of the visit made by the President of the Government of Madeira to the Azores, at the invitation of President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro.
 
"This official visit fully complied with its goals, marking a new stage and a new period in the relation between the Azores and Madeira," Rodrigo Oliveira said, emphasising the common commitment taken by parties with parliamentary representation "to strengthen relations with the archipelago of Madeira."
 
In his speech delivered at the plenary session, following a political statement issued by PS on the visit, Rodrigo Oliveira reminded that "the initiative of the President of the Regional Government aimed to give visibility to the relation and autonomies in the national context."
 
"This visit was not done against anyone, but in favour of the two regions," said the Regional Secretary. The government official highlighted the "concrete results" that were achieved with the signing of a Joint Declaration and 10 Cooperation Protocols, thus "embodying" this new phase in the relation between the two Autonomous Regions that will reach to a new level.
 
"We will give emphasis to the establishment of joint representation in Brussels," which will reinforce the defence of the interests of both regions with European institutions, through "the sharing of operational costs and strengthening of synergies," added the government official.
 
Rodrigo Oliveira pointed that cooperation between the Azores and Madeira is not limited to the signing of documents and the works started immediately. In this context, the government official pointed out, as example, the recent of the Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology to Madeira and the meeting he held in Brussels with the Regional Secretary for Parliamentary and European Affairs of the Government of Madeira.
 
Rodrigo Oliveira also emphasised the attention drawn to Macaronesia in this new phase of relation between the Azores and Madeira. In this regard, the government official recalled the creation of a Landscape Observatory open to the participation of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, the identification of eligible sites and the preparation of joint applications to the European projects MAC-Madeira/Azores/Canaries and the Atlantic. Moreover, both governments proposed the organisation of a summit of Macaronesia archipelagos to be held in the Azores in 2017.