Press Release
Madeira Recognized as the First Frontrunner Island and Portugal’s Frontrunner Territory through Strategic Partnership with the Urban Economy Forum
Madeira| May 2026
Press Release
Madeira Recognized as the First Frontrunner Island and Portugal’s Frontrunner Territory through Strategic Partnership with the Urban Economy Forum
Madeira| May 2026
Madeira Recognized as the First Frontrunner Island and Portugal’s Frontrunner Territory through Strategic Partnership with the Urban Economy Forum
Autonomous Region of Madeira joins UEF’s global network under “Islands Beyond 2030 – Isolated by Sea, Connected by Vision,” positioning the island as an international reference for blue economy, circular economy, digital transition, sustainable finance, and quality of life.
Funchal, Madeira — 26 May 2026 — The Autonomous Region of Madeira has taken a landmark step in its international positioning as a sustainable, innovative, and future-oriented island territory with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Regional Secretariat for Economy and the Urban Economy Forum (UEF), under the international programme Islands Beyond 2030 – Isolated by Sea, Connected by Vision.
The signing ceremony, held at the Salão Nobre of the Regional Government Palace, marked the first official milestone of the initiative promoted by the Regional Directorate for Competitiveness, Innovation and Sustainability, under the Regional Secretariat for Economy, in partnership with UEF, an international platform connected to the global ecosystem associated with United Nations.
Through this agreement, Madeira becomes the first Frontrunner Island and the Frontrunner for Portugal, joining UEF’s international network of sustainable cities and territories. This recognition positions Madeira as a reference territory for the testing, implementation, and scaling of solutions linked to the blue economy, circular economy, digital transition, sustainable finance, territorial innovation, and island resilience.
“Madeira looks at its outermost and island condition not as a limitation, but as a strategic advantage,” said José Manuel Rodrigues, Regional Secretary for Economy.
`“This Memorandum represents an ethical commitment to the destiny of our insularity. Those who live surrounded by the sea understand that progress depends on building bridges, reading the winds, and sharing horizons. Madeira has a vocation of universality, and today we renew that vocation by positioning the Region as a living laboratory where technology and ecology meet to serve life.”`
The partnership will connect Madeira with the Global Platform for Urban Finance, supporting the mobilization of impact investment and the articulation between territories, international financial instruments, ESG-oriented mechanisms, and institutional partners. Beyond investment, the collaboration seeks to translate sustainability, innovation, and digital transition into concrete benefits for the population.
Andreia Collard, Regional Director for Competitiveness, Innovation and Sustainability, emphasized that Madeira’s integration into the Frontrunner Cities Initiative will strengthen the Region’s international visibility within United Nations ecosystem and facilitate access to investor networks and ESG financing mechanisms. She also highlighted the importance of transforming insularity into a competitive asset through sustainable economy, innovation, test labs, data services, and the improvement of regional data quality and integration to enhance credibility with international partners and investors.
“Madeira’s recognition as the first Frontrunner Island is not only symbolic; it is operational,” said Reza Pourvaziry, Chair of the Urban Economy Forum.
`“The Frontrunner Initiative is built on data, partnerships, and implementation. Our objective is to move from declarations to concrete action, supporting Madeira in sharing its good practices with other cities and islands while involving local communities. This collaboration reflects SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities, SDG 17 on partnerships, and the growing global role of territories that are ready to lead by example.”`
The designation of Madeira as a Frontrunner Island is the result of an evaluation process based on data, criteria, and methodologies developed with universities and international organizations. It reflects the Region’s potential to act as a global demonstration territory for island innovation, climate resilience, digital transformation, and sustainable urban and territorial development.
The programme Islands Beyond 2030 – Isolated by Sea, Connected by Vision continued with an international conference in Funchal that brought together experts, decision-makers, institutional representatives, and partners from different countries to address the challenges and opportunities of island regions in the post-2030 horizon. Key themes include sustainability, territorial innovation, energy transition, digital transformation, and the future of island economies.
The Frontrunner Initiative is becoming a global movement, connecting cities, regions, and now islands committed to measurable transformation, sustainable finance, innovation, and quality of life. Madeira’s leadership opens a new chapter in this global agenda by demonstrating how island territories can move from geographic periphery to strategic centrality.
Ultimately, this collaboration aims to ensure that sustainability and innovation translate into tangible development outcomes. Madeira’s Frontrunner journey will be measured not only by international recognition, investment mobilization, or technical cooperation, but by its capacity to improve the quality of life of its people — strengthening resilience, opportunity, inclusion, and prosperity for the communities of the Region.