The secretary-general of the Union of Portuguese-Speaking Capital Cities, Luís Campos Ferreira, said today that Lusophone cities have “a lot to learn from China.”
The organization held its general assembly today in Macau, a region where Portuguese is an official language and a founding member of the UCCLA.
“The People’s Republic of China uses Macau as a platform for Portuguese-speaking countries and, in this specific case, for Portuguese-speaking cities. China is very useful and has a lot of knowledge to share. We all have much to learn from China as well,” he said.
The former Portuguese Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (2013–2015) also stressed the need to improve cooperation among Lusophone cities beyond economic and cultural fields.
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“What we feel is that there is a desire to collaborate even more, for cities to share knowledge with each other in order to better respond to citizens’ needs,” Ferreira added.
He noted that communication already exists in several areas, “particularly in culture and the economy,” but needs to be strengthened.
The meeting approved several motions of condolence for recent tragedies affecting cities in Portugal, Angola, Cabo Verde, and Mozambique, and decided that the next UCCLA general assembly will take place in Guimarães.
On the sidelines of the meeting, a business forum titled “Infrastructure and Smart Cities” will be held on Tuesday, aimed at strengthening the organization’s economic and commercial dynamics.
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After the event, the Macau government will organize a visit to nearby Hengqin, a special economic zone jointly managed with authorities from Guangdong province, to explore opportunities with companies from mainland China.
The mayor of Oeiras, Isaltino Morais, attending a UCCLA assembly for the first time, highlighted the importance of shared projects and exchange of experience among municipalities.
“It is essential that municipalities are aware of their role and potential. Oeiras has very positive experience in decentralized cooperation, with several million euros already invested in projects, and we are ready to cooperate,” he said.
Morais added that while some municipalities have more advanced experience in certain areas, others are still “struggling with basic infrastructure,” but that “leveraging these synergies can be very positive for people’s quality of life.”
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“Oeiras represents about 10% of Portugal’s GDP, and what interests us most is development in areas such as technology, biomedicine, biotechnology, and information technology – sectors where China has experience and investment capacity,” he said.
Founded in 1985, the UCCLA is a non-profit intermunicipal organization dedicated to promoting exchange and cooperation among its members across various fields. Its founding cities include Bissau, Lisbon, Luanda, Macau, Maputo, Praia, Rio de Janeiro, and São Tomé/Água Grande.
Today, the organization brings together 106 members, including 24 full members, 44 associates, 28 supporters, and 10 observers.
