afrol News, 31 July - South Africa and Cape Verde, two of Africa's most successful economies and democracies, are to deepen their ties, establishing embassies in their respective capitals. It is hoped that the virtually non-existent trade ties also will deepen.

Cape Verdean Prime Minister José Maria Neves is harvesting the results of his visits to South Africa 21-24 July, the first ever by a head of government from Cape Verde. The South African government now has announced it was to establish an embassy in Praia, while Cape Verdean authorities are to open an embassy in Pretoria.

Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Cape Verde were however established in April 1994, after the Black majority came to power in Pretoria. Ambassadors have not been exchanged yet. While South Africa's current Ambassador to Senegal is accredited as South Africa's non-resident Ambassador to Cape Verde, the Cape Verdean Ambassador to Angola is since last year accredited to South Africa as non-resident Ambassador.

Geographically and culturally wide apart and with few historic ties uniting South Africa and Cape Verde, not even trade interests had so far induced to two African countries to exchange ambassadors.

Economic relations have been minimal and were even observed to shrink during the last years. South African exports to Cape Verde - mostly manufactured food and beverage - had a modest value of rand 13 million in 2001, an amount that was reduced to only rand 4 million last year. Cape Verdean exports to South Africa, which earlier had comprised of textiles, even reached zero last year.

The potential is however far greater as the two countries belong to Africa's richest and most advanced economies. An increased trade is only disturbed by the fact that Cape Verde is located closer to its ex-colonial power Portugal than to South Africa, but Cape Verde has realistic hopes of attracting South African capital to its archipelago.

But the Cape Verdean and South African authorities are demonstrating a great interest in developing their economic and cultural ties, something shown by Prime Minister Neves' visit to South Africa and the decision to exchange ambassadors.

South Africa's Deputy President Jacob Zuma had hosted Cape Verdean Prime Minister Neves during his official in Pretoria from 21 to 24 July. Mr Neves had been accompanied by the Cape Verdean Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Manuel Sousa, the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Victor Borges and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Avelino Lopes.

Only two weeks earlier, another Cape Verdean ministerial delegation had visited Pretoria, led by then Foreign Minister Manuel Sousa "in order to broaden technical contacts with South Africa." A declaration of intent on aviation and maritime safety had signed with the South African Department of Transport during this visit.

The following talks between Deputy President Zuma and Prime Minister Neves focused on the strengthening of political ties between the two governments. Further, the two leaders had discussed the establishment of a solid economic partnership between the two countries through cooperation based on public and private investments, particularly in the infrastructure, transport, agriculture, fishing and tourism sectors. Increased co-operation in the area of higher education was also discussed.

Prime Minister Neves had been accompanied by a Cape Verdean business and public enterprises delegation consisting of representatives in the tourism, transport, privatisation, investment promotion, textile, construction, water treatment and cold storage equipment sectors. In Pretoria, they met with interested South African private and public enterprises sector representatives, which were briefed on trade and investment opportunities in Cape Verde.

Mr Neves indeed was welcomed as an old friend in South Africa, non-regarding the hitherto modest ties between the two countries. Mr Zuma told the Cape Verdean Prime Minister how pleased he was to receive him, "given the support Cape Verde gave to us during our struggle for liberation" [from apartheid].

The meetings however had a main focus on economic ties, which Deputy President Zuma gave the greatest importance. "We are fully aware of the need to increase intra-African trade and investment, and to build strong African economies," the South African host had told Mr Neves, before introducing him to the local business sector.

After the two statesmen have made the introduction formalities between the business sectors of their two states, the new embassies in Praia and Pretoria are to assist in the development of stronger trade links. So far, however, no new bilateral trade deals have been announced.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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