The government of Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) is finishing drawing up the legal framework for the privatisation of the port sector in 2014, the Minister for Infrastructure and the Maritime Economy, Sara Lopes said cited by the Cape Verdean press.

During a conference on reforming the transport sector in Cabo Verde, the minister said that the new legal and institutional framework would be in place next year.

Last June Cabo Verde’s parliament authorised the government to change the legal framework of the country’s ports with a view to privatising them.

As part of the privatisation, the government plans for national port management company, Empresa Nacional de Administração dos Portos (Enapor) to continue as the general concession holder for the archipelago’s ports, but for its to be allowed to sub-concession port services and operations whenever possible.

The future law is also expected to outline port assets in the public domain and to clarify the responsibilities of the public agents involved in the marine sector, specifically the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport and the Marine Economy, the Maritime and Port Institute and Enapor. (macauhub)