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international international
Prime Minister Jose Ulisses de Pina Correia e Silva
Cabo verde on the way to be an air,
maritime and digital hub
Cabo Verde is transforming adversities into solutions. It is developing its
role as a hub for air and maritime transport and a hub for digital economy.
Annegret Mathari, Geneva
The sun and wind, which were symbols of economy and a potential for exploiting blue
drought, today represent sources of renewable economy and a potential for clean energy
energy for Cabo Verde. The sea that was once production.
a symbol of emigration, today represents
tourism, desalinated water, exportation of “Cabo Verde is resilience, overcoming and
fishing, aquaculture and canning industry transforming adversities into solutions”, Prime
products, a center for R&D in the blue Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva said at the
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opening session of the General Assembly of creativity is an essential basis for sustainable
the World Intellectual Property Organization development, Correia e Silva emphasized.
(WPO) in Geneva on July 15. Cabo Verde is
a nation that has existed for more than 5.5 According to the prime minister, Cabo Verde is
centuries. The country has gone from being a interesting for foreign investments, especially
colony to becoming an independent country, from the Diaspora, which is in particular
from a one-party regime to a constitutional living in the United States. There are 500’000
liberal democracy. inhabitants today on the Cabo Verde Islands.
More than twice as many people are living in
“From being a LDC (Least Developed Country), the Diaspora, half a million of them in the
we have reached the status of a MIC (Middle United States, some others in Europe and on
Income Country) and are legitimately aiming to the African continent.
sustainable development,” Correia e Silva said.
“The geographical location that used to position increasing trade with african mar-
us far from the world, today positions Cabo kets
Verde as a Tourism platform and with high Correia e Silva visited in Geneva also the
potential as an air, maritime and digital hub, and World Trade Organization (WTO). His
for maritime cooperative safety in the Atlantic.” country is developing internet platforms for a
more efficient management of foreign trade.
expanding tourism Another topic at the WTO was the African
Cabo Verde is interested in the African free trade market, an initiative of the African
tourism market. Already before the covid-19 Union already ratified. One of the objectives
pandemic the country started to invest in its of Cabo Verde is a better integration in the
air company. But the pandemic interrupted African markets. According to Correia e Silva,
this development. According to Correia e Cabo Verde’s trade with the African continent
Silva there is a need for more transports to includes today only 2 per cent. To increase
African countries, Cabo Verde is an air hub this figure, there is a need to put in place an
for intercontinental flights, between Africa adequate system of maritime transport, the
and Europe and between Africa and the prime minister said.
American continent. “We are a well located
country”, Cabo Verde’s prime minister told Cabo Verde is also becoming a digital hub.
“Diva International”. “It is close to the African There are many technology start-ups in the
continent, to Europe and to Brazil.” Before the country, which offers a favourable ecosystem
covid-19 pandemic nearly 800’000 tourists for e-commerce, he said, technically and fiscally.
travelled to the country per year.
Cabo Verde is also attractive for digital nomads.
WIPO is an important partner for Cabo Verde, renewable energy
the country is interested in developing the An important topic of the discussions of
field of intellectual property and in opening Correia e Silva in Geneva was renewable
international markets. The country has energy. Cabo Verde has a strong program for
particular products like the wine produced on energy transition.
Fogo Island close to the volcano. The coffee
produced on Fogo Island is being sold today Today renewable energy, mainly solar energy,
in Starbuck coffee shops, Correia a Silva told covers around 20 per cent of the energy needs
“Diva international”. Intellectual property is of the country and it is expected to increase
also important concerning handicraft and the to 50 per cent until 2030. Cabo Verde is also
copyrights in the music of the country. promoting electric mobility. It has started to
procure electric cars for public transport. And
Covid-19 has accelerated the ways of working in 2040, the country wants to use exclusively
through the potential of innovation and electric vehicles. According to Correia e Silva,
information and communication technology. this is not only a climate change topic, but also
For his country, the genius of human an economic one.
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