Praia, Cape Verde, 26 May – Cape Verde is soon due to sign a “horizontal air agreement” with the European Union (EU), the first step in a process that will lead to an “open skies” policy with the 27-country block, Minister Manuel Inocêncio de Sousa said in Praia Monday.

Questioned in parliament about the policy for transport and circulation of goods and peoples, the Minister of State and of Infrastructure, Transport and Telecommunications noted that the State, by signing four “packages” had opened up Cape Verde’s air space to airlines from the European countries that supply most tourists to the archipelago.

“From a situation in which Cape Verde’s intercontinental air links were secured only via Sal island, exclusively by two airlines, to three or four European capitals, we now have around 20 airlines linking four airports on the archipelago,” the minister said, adding that the results of the policy under debate were, “unquestionable.”

According to Inocêncio de Sousa, cited by Cape Verdean news agency Inforpress, improvements have also been felt in terms of domestic transport.

He noted that the domestic fleet of national airline Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde (TACV) had been renewed and its capacity had increased from 144 to 184 seats, as well as highlighting a new airline that had entered the local market,, Halcyonair. (macauhub)