As reflected in the News Portal of the Government of the Canary Islands.
The Minister of Public Works, Housing and Mobility of the Government of the Canary Islands, Pablo Rodríguez, together with the General Director of Transport, María Fernández, and the President of the Aerospace Cluster, José Luis García, have presented, within the framework of a conference on the aerospace sector, the collaboration agreement between both organizations to turn the Archipelago into an international reference.
The Government of the Canary Islands and the aeronautical and aerospace sector intend to take advantage of the meteorological and orographic conditions and the oceanic situation of the Archipelago, as well as the potential of its prestigious research centers, to generate value and turn the Islands into engines of change, attracting new technological companies that generate employment.
“The Canary Islands have their own aerospace capabilities, due to our geostrategic position and our unique natural environment, which make us an ideal territory for the present and future of the space sector at national and international level”, emphasized Pablo Rodríguez.
In this sense, the Regional Ministry will establish with the sector stable cooperation procedures for the development of technological projects; as well as the improvement and expansion of current airport infrastructures to accommodate greater research and development activity, and establish coordination between the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and European agencies to align regulations and ensure safety standards.
“It is a strategic sector for the Canary Islands, a sector that can be an enormous opportunity to generate employment and wealth for our land, and also for the economic diversification of the archipelago, and this government and this ministry want to bet and lead, in this case, all the development that has to do with the aerospace sector”, said Rodriguez.
The director general of Transport also referred to PERTE Aerospace, the state government’s strategic project for the sector, which includes among its objectives the training of the industry in technologies and zero-emission systems, as well as the development of aeronautical infrastructures to meet the requirements of the Single European Sky regulation.
“Today the Aerospace PERTE has 4,500 million of investment. It is an industry that generates throughout Spain almost 200,000 skilled jobs, a real opportunity for the Canary Islands”, highlighted Fernandez, while emphasizing that “what is missing is the momentum, so that the Canary Islands have the right conditions to opt for any candidacy, such as the one that took Seville a few years ago as the agency’s headquarters. We have to continue working and promoting synergies, as we are doing here today, so that the Canary Islands have all the tools, resources and talent to attract this type of industry”.
“We want to position the Islands as a spearhead in research, development and innovation, to be able to face future opportunities and challenges, and for the Archipelago and its technological fabric to be able to lead projects in this area”, concluded Fernández.
Finally, the president of the aerospace cluster has shown the satisfaction of the group for starting this collaboration with the Regional Ministry, which will allow many companies in the sector to be encouraged to look to the Canary Islands and for this to become the epicenter of the industry. “Numerous leading companies are accompanying us on this day, such as Singular Aircraft or Aviation Exchange, eager to know all the facilities and strategic projects offered by the Canary Islands Government to land in the Islands and contribute to the growth and generation of opportunities, especially for all the Canary Islanders who have had to leave to develop their professional career due to lack of opportunities in their land”.
José Luis García has pointed out that the Islands cannot afford to lose again an investment of 1,500 million Euros and the creation of 900 jobs, “that went to Seville, after reaching the candidacy to become the headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency”.