Cape Verde wants to set up partnerships with Sao Tome and Principe [ 2007-08-16 ]
Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe, 16 Aug – Cape Verde wants to set up a partnership with Sao Tome and Principe in the fisheries and agricultural sectors, Cape Verde's consul in Sao Tome told Macauhub Wednesday.
José Silva made the statement at the same time as announcing the visit of Cape Verde’s prime minister, José Maria das Neves, to Sao Tome scheduled for Friday.
On his seven-day visit to Sao Tome and Principe, Neves will be accompanied by some members fo his government including the Foreign Minister and the secretary of state for Agriculture, as well as by a group of businesspeople.
Speaking to Macauhub, the Cape Verdean consul said that Neves’ visit would focus on a joint analysis with Sao Tome and Principe on how to set up partnerships in the fisheries and agricultural sectors..
Silva also said that a partnership that would essentially focus on the preservation and sale of fish would involve fishing for tuna and other species available in the waters of Sao Tome and Principe.
As well as the contribution of Sao Tome, the fishing interests of Cape Verde may involve private Cape Verdean company Atlantic Tuna, which specializes in treating and canning fish.
In the agricultural sector Cape Verde wants to establish a sea line with Sao Tome and Principe in order to transport agricultural products from Sao Tome to foreign markets, particularly Europe, via Praia, the capital of Cape Verde..
“Based on a partnership, cape Verde can help to transport goods abroad and prevent the usual situations in which supply exceeds demand, which affects Sao Tome farmers,” Silva said.
The visit by the Cape Verde prime minister also aims to boost cooperation in the areas of education, health and public administration.
It is estimated that a third of the population of Sao Tome is of Cape Verdean origin and they are mainly dedicated to agriculture and have plots of land granted by the Sao Tome authorities as part of a privatization policy launched just over 14 years ago. (macauhub)
