Monday 9th June, 2008

The aerodrome on the Cape Verdean island of Maio once again started to receive commercial aircraft, 10 months after being forbidden by the National Aviation Agency (AAC) from doing so until work was carried out on its runway.

The airport fo Maio was closed by AAC order in August of last year due to the poor state of the runway and last Tuesday, after a test flight was carried out by Cape Verde Express aircraft, the chief executive of ASA (Aeroportos e Segurança Aeroportuária), José Rodrigues, said that the airport was ready to receive flights without any difficulties.

The work carried out at the aerodrome mainly affected the runway, but also involved corrections to the drainage system and remodelling its Information Service.

The runway was extended to 30 metres wide, and 1,200 metres long, in order to receive ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft.

Tuesday 13th May, 2008

Airport and Air Security company ASA and the civil Aviation Agency will hold a test flight today, May 13, at Maio airport. An aircraft owned by private airline Cabo Verde Express will take off from Sal's Amílcar Cabral International Airport this afternoon and land at the Maio airport at 2:30pm.

The operation will be used to confirm the quality of the recently restored runway, as well as that of the work carried out in the airport's maneuvering area. The meteorological and flight information systems will also be tested. Commercial flights are expected to resume to and from the island on Friday, May 16. A Semana Online has learned, however, that due to problems related to marine transportation between Praia and the nearby island of Maio, the new runway may not be painted in time for the test flight, as the materials arrived behind schedule.

Merchant Anete Frederico, who resides in the town of Porto Inglês, the island's main population center, dreams of the day air connections resume, as the difficulties in Maio's transportation system have gravely affected tourism on the island. "With the resumption of flights, Maio will have a lot of tourists again. Right now the island is empty even on the weekends, when it should be full", she says.

Saturday 3rd May, 2008

The airport on the island of Maio will re-open on the 16th of this month, according to an announcement made yesterday by the Airport and Air Security company (ASA). After nine months of improvement work, the airport is ready to begin operating again, which will help reduce Maio's isolation from the rest of the country.

According to a press release from ASA, the Maio airport is a class 2B structure, appropriate for ATR 42 and 72-type aircrafts, has a 1,200-meter long and 30-meter wide runway, and features a fire-fighting system.

During the nine months of work on the airport, ASA carried compacted and regularized the runway's foundation using touvenant material, and reinforced the pavement with bituminous concrete. The runway's rainwater drainage system was also corrected, and the airport's flight formation service was remodeled. An automatic meteorological station identical to those in the country's six other operating airports was also installed.

The ASA communiqué also reveals that following the airport's re-opening on May 16, work will begin on the passenger terminal.

The company responsible for the requalification work is Monte Adriano. The project cost a total of 220 million escudos, financed by ASA.

Tuesday 22nd April, 2008

TACV Cabo Verde Airlines will be privatized in mid-2009, Minister of Infrastructures, Transportation and the Sea Manuel Inocêncio Sousa told A Semana Online this weekend.

Sousa made the revelation on Friday during a visit by United States Undersecretary of Transportation Thomas Barrett.

The first date set for the privatization of Cape Verde’s flagship carrier was late 2007. One year after US-based company Sterling Merchant was given a 12-month contract to direct the airline. The government, however, opted to give Sterling Merchant more time to do the job it had been hired to conclude, and ended up defining 2008 as the target year for TACV to become a private company. Now, for the first time, Cape Verde's Minister of Transportation has admitted that the privatization will only take place in mid-2009.

In a quick visit to Cape Verde last Friday, the United States Undersecretary for Transportation highlighted the Cape Verdean government's prudence regarding TACV. Barrett, who visited Praia International Airport in the company of Manuel Inocêncio Sousa, told journalists that it was "very good" that the Cape Verdean government was preparing TACV's privatization "very carefully."

Thursday 20th March, 2008

Prime Minister José Maria Neves spoke yesterday of the possibility of allowing the euro to circulate freely in Cape Verde during his speech marking the tenth anniversary of the exchange accord between Cape Verde and Portugal. Portuguese Finance Minister Fernando Teixeira dos Santos, who came to Cape Verde to participate in the ceremony celebrating this unique financial partnership between the two countries, said that "this ambition on the part of Cape Verde is natural, given the positive results that have been achieved."

"With all due technical and political caution, we are studying the possibility of having the euro circulate in Cape Verde. It is an issue of considerable technical and political reach that merits pondering, but it constitutes one possible path within the framework of [Cape Verde’s] special partnership with the European Union," said the Prime Minister during his speech.

In the view of Portugal’s Minister of Finances, the euro already effectively circulates in Cape Verde, and institutionalizing its circulation in the country "is a legitimate ambition that reveals the country’s macroeconomic stability. More work needs to be done on technical and normative convergence, strengthening contacts with European institutions and preparing for a more rigorous framework in terms of budgetary discipline and exchange policies," recommended Teixeira dos Santos.

The Portuguese Finance Minister also said that "Cape Verde is a reference for the governing community" and "one of the priority spaces for Portuguese cooperation," referring to the 140 million euros in financing announced for the improvement of port and highway infrastructures in the country.

Prime Minister José Maria Neves, for his part, highlighted Cape Verde’s "external credibility and the atmosphere of confidence on the part of domestic and foreign private economic operators and investors" as a conquest achieved by the country, which managed to fulfill "Maastricht criteria through fiscal sustainability, price stability and the sustainability of foreign economic relations."

"The fixed exchange rate between the Cape Verdean escudo and the euro has allowed the country to soften the impact of negative external shocks, which otherwise would have had very serious consequences in an open economy such as Cape Verde’s. We also have to be prepared for the consequences of the dizzying rise in the price of petroleum and grains and of the real-estate crisis," said José Maria Neves.

Cape Verdean Minister of Finances and Public Administration Cristina Duarte, for her part, affirmed that this "exchange anchor is solid and benign."

Monday 3rd March, 2008

Praia, Cape Verde, 3 March – The Cape Verdean government has invested 2.7 million euros on the electrification of rural areas of the islands of Santiago, Fogo and Maio, the director-general for Industry and Energy, Abraão Lopes, said in Praia Friday.

The electrical equipment, which has almost all been purchased from Portuguese companies, is already in a warehouse in Praia and will serve the areas of Ribeira Grande, São Jorge dos Órgãos, Santa Cruz, S. Miguel, Tarrafal and Santa Catarina, on Santiago Island, as well as the islands of Fogo and Maio.

"The projects are already underway, the contracts have been signed and the contractors are already on the ground," said Lopes.

The current coverage rate of electricity in Cape Verde is 80 percent, Lopes noted, adding that after these projects were concluded this rate would be 85 percent.

By 2011, the economy minister, José Brito said, the government aimed to have 95 percent of the country with access to electricity, and reach total coverage by 2015.

He also said that a Swiss, Swedish and Dutch owned renewable energy company would come into operation and would boost the energy supply in urban areas.

Monday 5th November, 2007

The EU and Cape Verde have concluded bilateral market access negotiations on Cape Verde's accession to the World Trade Organization. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said: "The EU is pleased to be among the first WTO Members to sign the bilateral agreement with Cape Verde. This is a clear demonstration of Europe's commitment to facilitate the accession of least developed countries to the WTO and I am confident that the accession of Cape Verde can be concluded before the end of the year. I hope that other LDCs will also move to join the WTO and that richer countries will be fully supportive."

Cape Verde applied to join the WTO in November 1999, and negotiations started in 2004 with the submission of initial offers on goods and services. Cape Verde has made steady progress toward concluding the accession negotiations and has shown that it made the most out the technical assistance provided by the EU and other donors.

The market access commitments undertaken toward the EU foresee the binding of all tariff lines at an average level below 40% for agricultural products and close to 30% for non-agricultural products.

In services, Cape Verde will make commitments in a broad range of sectors that are essential to attract investment and build up the economic infrastructure necessary for Cape Verde's development and growth. These include computer and related services, telecommunications, financial, construction, distribution, travel, tourism, environmental and transport services. The EC reportedly took into account Cape Verde's development needs and its domestic policies. In particular, the bilateral deal between the EC and Cape Verde which includes 3 MFN exemptions on audiovisual services. There will not be any market access or national treatment commitment in the audiovisual sector, which will enable Cape Verde to maintain and develop its national and international cultural policies, including co-production agreements with the EC and other third countries.

Wednesday 19th September, 2007

New flights from the UK to Cape Verde have been welcomed as a possible boost to tourism and investment in the region.

Cape Verde's national airline, TACV, will begin running the flights between London's Stansted Airport twice a week, commencing 29th October 2007, servicing both capital city Praia on Santiago Island every Monday and to the neighbouring primary international airport on Sal Island every Thursday.

In addition to the direct flights to the islands of Santiago and Sal, the airline also has plans to operate a direct service from the UK to the island of Boa Vista commencing in January 2008.

Wednesday 29th August, 2007

The first phase of the project to improve and expand the port of Praia was presented Monday in the Cape Verdean capital at a meeting presided by the minister of state for Infrastructures, Transport and the Sea, Manuel Inocêncio Sousa.

The first phase of the project includes topographical, hydrographic, geotechnical, economical and environmental surveys, as well as drawing up number 1, a breakwater and rebuilding of quay number 2.

It also includes building of a services center for port and logistics services, container processing and a warehouse.

Simultaneously, a Plan for Environmental Management and Supervision will be drawn up for Praia port, according to the project description.

The end of the first phase is scheduled for February 2008, and building work is due to begin in March of the same year.
MacauHub

Thursday 7th June, 2007

Director of My Mortgage Direct, Cath Hearnden said: "As a desirable location for holiday home property investment, Cape Verde is challenging many of the established destinations. Prices are low and the potential for future growth is fantastic, but the mortgage market is in its infancy and buyers can be put off by the prospect of arranging their own mortgage – let alone address tax and legal matters.

The service is offered at two levels, both charged at a fixed fee so buyers know exactly what they will get and how much it will cost. The full consultation service – charged at £500 – covers every aspect of buying a property in Cape Verde including sourcing and arranging the most competitive mortgage deal, detailed costings for all financial alternatives, inheritance, capital gains and income tax implications, liaison with solicitors and other pertinent financial advice.

If you need any further information, you can check the website:
My Mortgage Direct

Tuesday 5th June, 2007

Britons looking to invest in overseas property hotspots such as Cape Verde and Morocco have been boosted by the announced that insurers HiFX is extending its range of cover to those locations.

The firm said it was responding to increased demand for foreign property by opening up its protection to a number of other countries.

Citing the 800,000 UK households that now own a property abroad, the firm noted that differing regional practices made it important to insure overseas investments.

Adequate overseas property insurance is essential to safeguard the viability of your investment. Storm damage and burst pipes rank amongst our most common claims," advised the firm's managing director Mark Bodega.

"Overseas repairs can be expensive and, in order to protect your investment, it is essential that any material damage is repaired by trustworthy skilled tradesmen," Mr Bodega added.

If you need any further information, you can check the website:
HiFX News Item

Wednesday 9th May, 2007

A second direct route to Cape Verde is to be launched this summer, Astraeus Airlines reveals today.

The flights will go direct to the island of Boa Vista in the Cape Verde archipelago from London Gatwick once per week, with flight times of around six hours.

Return tickets are expected to cost around £377 including taxes, fees and charges. Among the tour operators using the new route is Holiday Options, with more set to be confirmed soon.

The independent British airline opened up Cape Verde as a top winter sun holiday destination with its direct flights to the main island of Sal last year.

"We've seen passenger numbers grow since the introduction of flights to Cape Verde which necessitates the continuation of two flights to Sal and the introduction of a new service to Boa Vista," said Hugh Parry, Astraeus managing director.

"The launch of the new route to Boa Vista probably reflects the pent up demand for a new destination such as Cape Verde."

Cape Verde is made up of ten islands and eight islets located 400 miles from the west coast of Africa. Formerly under Portuguese rule, the Cape Verde islands offer plenty of active holiday options such as walking and water sports, as well as a warm climate all year round.

Tuesday 7 June, 2006

Praia, Cape Verde, 07 June – Cape Verde’s state air carrier TACV is due to launch in June a route linking the capital city of Praia to Paris, the second European country, after Lisbon, to have a direct link to the capital's new international airport.

In a statement, TACV said that the new route to the French capital, where one of the largest communities of Cape Verdean emigrants can be found, would be launched on July 5, the archipelago’s independence day. The flight would be weekly and run on a Wednesday, TACV said. This is the second route launched this year from Praia, after that of Boston, a US city which also has a large Cape Verdean community. This connection, which began in March, will be boosted by a further two flights per week starting in the second week of July.

Praia’s international airport, the second after one located on Sal Island, was opened in October last year, after modernization work lasting over 10 years and costing 30 million euros.

TACV, whose fleet is made up of two Boeing 757/300 and 3 ATR, provides weekly connections to Lisbon, Madrid, Rotterdam, Bissau, Dakar, and Fortaleza, amongst other cities.

The airline also plans to launch a flight linking Praia to the United Kingdom, one of the main origins of tourists visiting the archipelago. (macauhub)

Thursday 13 April, 2006

A direct flight is now going to start from London Gatwick from November 2nd 2006. Teleticket Travel, in conjunction with the charter specialist airline Astraeus, have just launched new flights from Gatwick to Cape Verde.

These commence on Thursday 2nd November 2006, and will operate every Thursday thereafter. Prices start from approximately £299.00 + £30 return, and the flights are direct, i.e. no Lisbon stop-over!

If you need any further information, you can check the website:
Teleticket Travel Website

Also, holiday packages are now being offered by Holiday Options and can be booked on-line:
Holiday Options Website