Foreign Minister in Brussels

26/01/2010

According to José Brito, the current political dialogue between Cape Verde and the European Union within the framework of the special partnership is something that goes beyond “mere cooperation.” Today’s meeting with the EU representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, England’s Catherine Ashton, and with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, is aimed at establishing a plan of action for 2010 and “advancing further with the special partnership” between Cape Verde and the EU. Yesterday two technical commissions met, with the political portion of the meeting reserved for today.

Brito believes that the special partnership between Cape Verde and the European Union is already bearing fruit, with Cape Verde having begun accessing funds that had previously been off-limits to the country. As an example, he cites the fact that the Sal municipal chamber is currently negotiating an important financial package aimed at carrying out urban re-qualification in the towns of Santa Maria and Espargos. In addition, he stresses, “there are always immaterial gains, which are not able to be calculated in numbers.”

Another area in which the partnership has begun to be put into practice is security. According to José Brito, measures are already under way to provide Cape Verdeans with biometric passports, which are much more secure and reliable than the current documents. “Often, the issue lies in our own capacity to present projects that are competitive, given that we are not in this alone – we are competing with other countries to obtain certain global funds. This involves better preparation on the part of our institutions.”

In any case, José Brito believes that “things” are moving forward at a good pace. “Of course we would have liked to move even further,” he acknowledges.