The Cape Verdean president’s week-long visit to Sao Tome and Principe, which begins on Tuesday, will also be his first “diaspora presidency in Africa,” José Maria Neves’ office in Praia announced this Monday.
Under the motto “Together with our brothers from Sao Tome and Principe,” the program alternates moments of the state visit with other moments of “President in the Diaspora,” which include, above all, meetings with the Cape Verdean community, which has more than 70,000 people who respect him, he said in a statement.
The initiative serves as a “unifying thread for the nation” and aims to continue the “commitment to ‘unite, care, protect’ and engage in dialogue with all Cape Verdeans.”
José Maria Neves will be accompanied by the Minister of Communities, Jorge Santos, and the African constituency deputies, Orlando Dias and Mário Teixeira.
In the program published today in accordance with the Sao Tome protocol, the Cape Verdean Presidency highlights meetings with its counterpart Carlos Vila Nova (Tuesday) and with Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada (Wednesday), recalling that from August 2023 the country will hold a rotating presidency of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).
On Friday, the head of state of Cape Verde will join the celebration of the 49th anniversary of the independence of Sao Tome and Principe.
In contact with the Diaspora José Maria Neves will hold a master class on Monday entitled “Blue Economy and Inclusive Growth of Small Island States” at the University of São Tomé and Príncipe and will hold meetings with trained staff of the Diaspora and Cape Verdean Fellowship Program working in São Tomé.
José Maria Neves will also take advantage of the trip to present badges to Cape Verdean Venâncio Varela dos Santos, a businessman and social activist who was awarded the Volcano Medal, Second Class, for his humanitarian work and support for the Cape Verdean community in São Tomé and the Prince.
The Presidency of Cape Verde recalls that cooperation between the two States was reinforced by the General Agreement on Cooperation within the framework of the first joint commission between the two countries in August 2007.
Priority sectors for cooperation include education, health, fisheries, agriculture and public administration, as well as activities that benefit the Cape Verdean community living in Sao Tome and Principe.
The second meeting of the Joint Commission took place in March 2022, and a new meeting is being prepared for later this year, as announced in April during the visit to Cape Verde of Sao Tome Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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