Praia (Cabo Verde) - During the last stop on his Africa trip, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva praised the progress that Cabo Verde has made, even though the country has few natural resources. Speaking at a dinner offered by the Cabo Verde president, Pedro Verona Rodrigues, Lula pointed out that Cabo Verde was the only Portuguese-speaking nation to move up significantly on the Human Development Index in 2003.

Relations are intense between Brazil and Cabo Verde in the educational area. Lula cited the fact that one thousand students from Cabo Verde are studying in Brazil.

Lula also mentioned a public telecenter donated to the Cabo Verde National Library. The center consists of 10 computers and an internet server.

Brazil and Cabo Verde have direct flights between Cidade de Sal and Fortaleza, which has turned into a thriving trade route. Fortaleza is the capital of Ceará, in the Brazilian northeast. In 2003, some 15 tons of goods, worth US$568 million, were flown to Cabo Verde - mostly clothing, footwear and handicrafts. However, fully 33% of Cabo Verde imports from Brazil are iron, steel, machinery, kitchen equipment and furniture. Business is so good that an a US ocean freight firm, American Shipping, has begun monthly trips between Fortaleza and the main ports of Cabo Verde at Mindeiros and Praia.

Agência Brasil
Reporters: Marcos Chagas e Nelson Motta
Translator: Allen Bennett
07/30/2004