Praia, Cape Verde, 9 March – Portuguese direct investment in Cape Verde totalled 192 million euros in the first 11 months of 2007, according to the most recent figures from Portuguese investment promotion agency, AICEP.

According to the figures, Portuguese companies invested just 2 million euros in the first 11 months of 2006.

In their turn, Portuguese exports rose 14.2 percent to 238.9 million euros between January and November 2008, a lower rise than for imports, which rose by 27.6 percent against the same period of 2007.

Portuguese exports to Cape Verde, have been rising since 2003, when they totalled 136.7 million euros.

In terms of imports, there was a rise between 2003 and 2004 when they reached a peak of 10.8 million euros, followed by successive drops, reaching their lowest point in the first 11 months of 2007, at 6.6 million euros, rising to 8.4 million euros from January to November of 2008.

In the first 11 months of 2008, the rate of coverage of imports by exports remained high, 2,841.6 percent in Portugal’s favour, despite having fallen from 3,173.8 percent. (macauhub)