Investment to set up a business centre and a fishing base on the Cape Verdean island of Sao Vicente are just some of the results of the eighth edition of the Forum of Businesspeople from China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries, the Cape Verdean press reported.

On Monday the organisers of the Forum dedicated an entire day to projects presented by Cape Verde – two private and two public projects – which were well-received by participants and the presented of the private projects were invited to visit China.

In public terms the Cape Verde authorities chose the sea cluster to attract investments to Sao Vicente, and the chairman of Cabo Verde Investimentos (CVI), José Armando Duarte, said that negotiations were at an advanced stage to establish a base for the Chinese fishing fleet.

“These negotiations that involve CabNave – Estaleiros Navais de Cabo Verde, will be an anchor to attract more investment to the island,” said Duarte.

The other sector that benefited from the meeting was the social housing sector in which, according to the CVI chairman, “a Chinese company is expected soon to arrive in the country to set up a partnership,” based on a US$51 million loan provided by China precisely for construction of social housing.

“The negotiations that are underway will continue with a visit by the Prime Minister to China in July,” said Duarte, who added that as Europe, “is in the situation it is in, we have to find alternatives to sustain our development process.”

Speaking about the Forum itself, Duarte said that the results had been positive, “as it served to present business opportunities in Cape Verde and as platform to make contacts between businesspeople, as well as the fact that participants were able to appreciate the country’s development, particularly in the tourism sector.”

This meeting, which was closed by the Cape Verdean Finance Minister, Cristina Duarte, was held on 17 and 18 June on Sal Island and was attended by 350 people and around 60 companies. (macauhub)