The Azores, Lajes, and the Geography of Strategic Relevance
Some places possess importance because of their size. Others because of their wealth. A few occupy a position in history so singular that geography itself becomes destiny.
The Azores belong to that latter category.
For more than five centuries, these nine islands have stood in the middle of the Atlantic, witnessing the passage of ships, empires, migrations, wars, and ideas. Long before geopolitics became a fashionable term, the Azores were already demonstrating a simple truth: whoever understands the Atlantic understands a significant part of the world’s future.
The recent observations by former United States Ambassador to Portugal Randi Charno-Levine serve as a reminder of a reality that many Azoreans know instinctively, though it is not always sufficiently recognized in Lisbon, Brussels, Washington, or even within the broader public debate. The strategic relevance of the Azores is not a relic of the Cold War. It remains one of Portugal’s greatest geopolitical assets in the twenty-first century.
At the heart of that reality stands Lajes Air Base.
For generations, the name “Lajes” has evoked far more than a military installation. It represents a meeting point between continents, an enduring bridge between North America and Europe, and one of the most significant symbols of the transatlantic relationship. From the Second World War through the Cold War and into the complex security environment of the present day, the base has served as a logistical, operational, and diplomatic crossroads.
Yet today’s strategic conversation extends beyond military aircraft and runways.
The Atlantic is increasingly becoming a space where questions of security, technology, energy, communications, and economic competition intersect. Beneath its waters run the submarine cables that carry much of the world’s digital communications. Across its routes travel the goods, resources, and information upon which modern economies depend. Its maritime spaces are becoming central to emerging discussions about energy, scientific research, environmental monitoring, and international security.
The challenges facing NATO have also evolved. While the war in Ukraine has understandably focused attention on Eastern Europe, the Atlantic is once again demanding strategic consideration. Maritime security, the protection of critical underwater infrastructure, cyber threats, hybrid warfare, and growing geopolitical competition are reshaping how nations think about defense and cooperation.
Within this new landscape, the Azores are not peripheral. They are central.
That centrality, however, should not be understood merely as a military advantage. The islands represent an opportunity to connect security with science, defense with innovation, and strategic relevance with sustainable development. The future role of the Azores may be measured not only by aircraft movements or naval operations, but also by research centers, space technologies, marine sciences, renewable energy initiatives, and international cooperation.
For the people of the Azores, this discussion carries particular importance. Strategic relevance must translate into tangible benefits for the communities that occupy this pivotal geography. Recognition should not remain confined to speeches, conferences, or diplomatic declarations. It should be reflected in investments, infrastructure, education, research opportunities, and economic development that strengthen the islands and create opportunities for future generations.
The Atlantic is once again becoming one of the defining theaters of global affairs. As nations reconsider trade routes, security architectures, technological networks, and geopolitical partnerships, the Azores occupy a position that few regions in Europe can claim.
This is not a new story. It is, in many ways, the continuation of an old one.
For centuries, these islands have stood between worlds. Sailors once crossed these waters guided by stars and winds. Today, satellites, data cables, aircraft, and scientific networks traverse the same ocean. The technologies have changed, but the geography remains.
And geography, as history repeatedly reminds us, has a long memory.
The future of the Atlantic may be written in many capitals, but part of that story will continue to pass through the Azores. Through their seas, their skies, their knowledge, and their people.
At the center of the ocean, these islands continue to remind the world that distance is sometimes another word for importance.
Translated and adapted from Diário Insular-Photo, also from DI-Josaé Lourenço, director