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Second Cabo Verde Fast Ferry vessel to be called “Liberdadi”

Alcides Vicente, a Cape Verdean residing in Atlanta, Georgia (in the United States), is the winner of the contest aimed at selecting the name for the second ferry boat being built by Cabo Verde Fast Ferry. The name chosen is “Liberdadi” (“Freedom”). The name of the first vessel is Kriola.
Second Cabo Verde Fast Ferry vessel to be called “Liberdadi”

Construction of the first of the two ferries is expected to be concluded by October of this year. The second ferry, according to Cabo Verde Fast Ferry, is slated to be finished in January of 2011.

The winner of the contest to choose the name of the vessel, Alcides Vicente, will receive an award in the form of US$ 500 cash, two round-trip tickets on TACV Cabo Verde Airlines from Boston to Praia and a trip aboard the first ferry, as well as lodging in the most luxurious hotels and resorts on the islands.

Original Article: ASemana - click

Cape Verde-EU partnership agreement reached

Cape Verde Prime Minister José Maria Neves held a high-level meeting in Brussels with European Commission leader José Manuel Barroso to finalise the last steps in negotiations about an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. Cape Verde is to benefit from new funding from the EU.

Prime Minister Neves was accompanied by Cape Verde's Foreign Minister José Brito, the National Director of Political Affairs and Cooperation and other senior diplomats from the archipelago. The mission on Tuesday met with the President of the European Commission to discuss and deepen a partnership agreement signed in Brussels last year, focusing on the issue of economic partnership, and also a mobility agreement.

Judging by the testimonies of participants in the meeting, the meeting was a success and achieved significant progress. Cape Verde is negotiating an economic partnership agreement with the European Union (EU) that will allow the West African archipelago to continue to enjoy favourable export conditions for its products to Europe.

Cape Verde until now has enjoyd the facilities granted to so-called least developed countries (LDCs), which exempts poor trade partners from customs duties for export to Europe.

But Cape Verde has seen a flamboyant economic development during the last decades, and a few years ago the UN redfined it as a middle income country, meaning that Cape Verde was to lose favourable LDC condition after a transitional period of three years. This period ends in December this year. The Cape Verdean government however hopes to extend the transition period for yet another year, and the Brussels meeting idicated its bid is being successful.

"We want to sign [the Economic Partnership Agreement] as soon as possible," stated Prime Minister Neves after the meeting. The new EU-Cape Verde agreement orginally should be reached within the regional framework of ECOWAS. But the LDC transition had complicated matters. Mr Neves said EU leader Barroso had been "aware and sensitive" on the matter, together seeking solutions or a smooth transition and a possibility to win time for Cape Verde.

Cape Verde has already achieved a special partnership agreement with the EU, handling both political and economic matters. With a separate Economic Partnership Agreement, Cape Verde further moves from ECOWAS towards the EU. After the LDC transition, Cape Verde aims at a deeper integration into the EU economy and market.

The Brussels meeting also addressed mobility and visa regulations. Cape Verdeans are about to obtain a special visa partnership with the European bloc. Mr Neves said that the Cape Verde-EU mobility partnership negotiations had seen "considerable progress," and he expected a signature of the agreement "later this year."

This agreement aims to create special facilities for obtaining visas for entry into the Schengen area for Cape Verde citizens, such as reducing the time for decision making in relation to the issuance of a visa or not, the establishment of preferential rates or total exemption of visas, among other issues. It was also an effective way to combat illegal immigration, according to Mr Barroso and Mr Neves.

According to information forwarded afrol News, the Brussels meeting also treated the possibility of a substantial increase of contributions by European Commission funds through the European Development Fund (EDF) to support Cape Verde's transition from a least developed country to a medium income country.

In addition, the West African archipelago may benefit from other funds such as the V-Flex (Vulnerability Fund) and also the framework of the EU to combat climate change under the Regional Indicative Programme for West Africa, PM Neves was told in Brussels.

Delegation from the Ilha do Maio MADRRM promotes III Mondays Agro-livestock

A delegation from the Ministry of Environment, Rural Development and Marine Resources (MADRRM) promotes the Ilha do Maio on 24 and 25 opened, the third Monday of farm and livestock products of the island.

According to the deputy MADRRM, Carlos Dias, will attend the event for farmers and creators from the island, selected, among other things, the quality (variety) and quantity of its products such as agricultural, farming or handicrafts.

The idea, according to Carlos Dias, is to give participants the opportunity to exhibit their products, taking into account that the island that there is a space where they can sell. Normally, all the run-off is channelled into the market in Praia.

Moreover, Open Days, are also a way to spread the productive capacities of the island are increasing year on year.

The fair will be held during the weekend and has a partnership with the City Council on Maio, farmers, ranchers and artisans.

Original article: Noticias Cape Verde – click here

Maio: PDM submitted to the CM and AM

Will be presented tomorrow to the Board and the Municipal Assembly of the county in Maio the results of phase I of the preparation of the Municipal Plan (PDM) on the island.

It should be noted that the responsibility of preparing the PDM of the Isle of Maio was in charge of Tourism Development Society Islands of Boa Vista and Maio, SA (SDTIBM) through the cooperation protocol signed with the local authority in November 2008. It should be noted that the responsibility of preparing the PDM of the Isle of Maio Was in charge of Tourism Development Society Islands of Boa Vista and Maio, SA (SDTIBM) through the cooperation protocol signed with the local authority in November 2008.

With the development of PDM, it is intended to give the city a tool for land management and urban planning that seeks the harmonious relationship of various strategic objectives. With the development of PDM, it is intended to give the city a tool for land management and urban planning Seeks That the harmonious relationship of various strategic objectives.

Note also that under the contract signed between the consortium and SDTIBM Cese / Diameter work should be completed within seven months and should be developed in three phases, with Phase I, culminating in the presentation of the Report Characterisation and Diagnosis and proposals for development scenarios. Also note that under the contract signed between the consortium and SDTIBM Cese / Diameter work completed should be within seven months and should be developed in three phases, with Phase I, culminating in the presentation of the Report and Characterization Diagnosis and proposals for development scenarios.

With this presentation of the results of Phase I development of the PDM Maio SDTIBM want to socialize with the elected municipal jobs that are being developed and get their opinions and suggestions on the various scenarios proposed. With this presentation of the results of Phase I development of the PDM Maio SDTIBM want to socialise with the elected municipal Jobs that are being developed and get their opinions and suggestions on the various scenarios proposed.

Original Article: AR, Expresso das Ilhas - click here

More Publicity for Ilha do Maio

The tropical island of Maio is fast becoming the favoured choice for wealthy Cape Verdeans and is set to attract international investors due to planned infrastructure developments and improved air and ferry links.

The Salinas Beach Resort is the premier development on Maio and is currently under construction by No. 1 Cape Verdean developer Sogei. This project has been financed by funds raised on the Cape Verde Stock Exchange, and the strength of the Sogei name means buyers can be assured that off-plan purchases will deliver both quality and reliability.

The Salinas Beach Resort is located in Porto Ingles near to Maio’s harbour. The resort will include a 4 star hotel, commercial area, gymnasium / sauna, bar and beach club. Three bedroom semi-detached villas are available from €248,000, 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartments from €126,000 and commercial units from €70,000.

“Before the financial crisis Cape Verde was Europe’s closest tropical destination with a constant climate, direct flights from the UK, a stable economy pegged to the euro, investor-friendly government policy and a vibrant culture – and nothing has changed!” says Akwei.

“Those are just some of the reasons why Cape Verde developed as a highly desirable overseas property investment market - and that’s why it will recover and return to health so much quicker than many other destinations.”

Original Article: easierProperty - click here

São Tomé gets ferry link with Cape Verde

A high speed ferry between São Tomé and Cape Verde is planned for operations already in June this year, according to an announcement by the Cape Verdean government.

The plans were revealed during the three-day visit of Cape Verdean Prime Minister José Maria Neves to São Tomé and Príncipe today. PM Neves headed a larger delegation of Cape Verdean ministers and businessmen to the fellow Portuguese speaking archipelago, agreeing to “assume a strategic partnership with São Tomé.”

The ferry plans were agreed by Cape Verdean entrepreneur Felisberto Furtado and São Toméan businessman Aurélio Martins in the presence of the prime ministers of the two countries. The two businessmen signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly establish the ferry company Expresso LDA, which is to operate the new maritime link.

The vessel that is to ensure the ferry link is already on the Cape Verdean island São Vicente. According to Mr Furtado, the vessel is “a fast boat, capable of making the trip in five days, while a normal vessel would use up to eight days.”

Mr Furtado further explained that the ferry has a capacity of 800 passengers and about 400 beds, with cinema and garden and a playground for children. The vessel would focus on passenger traffic between the two popular holiday resort archipelagos.

According to the memorandum signed in the presence of the prime ministers of Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe, the ship’s inauguration trip on this route will start as early as June this year, “opening up great possibilities for relations and trade between the two countries.”

While passenger freight is the main scope of the project, the speed boat also was to transport goods between the two island nations. Especially the government of São Tomé sees the new maritime connection as a great opportunity of increasing its tropical agricultural exports to Cape Verde and beyond.

The three-day visit of Prime Minister Neves also resulted in the signing of an agreement of a strategic partnership between the two nations, with a special aim of assisting São Tomé and Príncipe in its economic development.

Cape Verde, which is already a mid-income nation, is to assist the impoverished “brother country” São Tomé to develop several economic sectors, with a first main focus on the fisheries and agriculture. Also, the two countries would open full-fledged embassies in each other’s capitals, PM Neves and his São Toméan counterpart Rafael Branco announced.

Original Article: AFROL – click here