R 091352Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRAIA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1505
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY PRAIA

UNCLAS PRAIA 000187 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAGR EAID ECON ECIN EFIN ENRG CV
SUBJECT: DETERMINED TO COMBAT ITS ECONOMIC CRISIS, CAPE VERDE REFUSES 
THE EASY WAY OUT 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  On July 2, the GoCV and the Transition Support 
Group (TSG) for Cape Verde's -- a group of about two dozen 
bilateral and multilateral donors that coordinate efforts to 
smooth Cape Verde's graduation from the UN's list of Least 
Developed Countries (LDC) to that of Developing Countries -- 
gathered for the fifth roundtable meeting in Praia. The newly 
named Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Brito, conducted the 
meeting in conjunction with the Minister of Finance, Cristina 
Duarte, Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs Jorge Borges, the 
United Nations Resident Coordinator Petra Lantz-de Bernardis, 
and the representatives of all UN agencies.  During the meeting 
the Ministers presented the 2008-2011 Growth and Poverty 
Reduction Strategy for Cape Verde, and with the full support 
from the UN, requested its development partners assist in 
covering the approximately 568 million dollars gap existing in 
its 2008-2011 financing budget.  This conference concluded with 
the signature of the "One Program" between Cape Verde and the 
United Nations finalizing a 15 month negotiations on the process 
of UN's reorganization in Cape Verde putting in place the 
"Delivering as One" strategy. (END SUMMARY) 
 
¶2.  For Minister Cristina Duarte, the international oil crisis, 
persistent droughts, insularity and other structural 
vulnerabilities such as total dependency on external oil, and 
food products remain serious concerns. Duarte said that her 
government would not make the mistake to subsidize the crisis 
and is looking for alternative solutions, that although less 
popular will deliver better results.    The GoCV's strong belief 
is that the solution lies in transforming vulnerabilities into 
competitive advantages by heavily investing in human resources, 
creative thinking, and creating a friendly business environment. 
 This is the positive note in which GoCV approached its partners 
in development to present the new development strategy designed 
to address the challenges the country faces. 
 
¶3.  With serious internal insufficiencies in important sectors 
such as energy and water supply, coupled with the loss of 
competitiveness caused by the increase of oil products and food 
product (of which Cape Verde is almost totally dependent on 
external sources) and the repercussion it has on its 
underprivileged population, Cape Verde remain highly 
vulnerability.  To overcome successfully the challenges ahead , 
Cape Verde is pursuing an agenda of transformation which 
according to Duarte is based on 5 key elements: Good Governance, 
Development of Human Capital, Competitiveness, Development of 
Infrastructures, and most importantly Social Cohesion. 
 
¶4.  Duarte announced also that the government has decided to 
take major macroeconomic policies to provide improved efficiency 
and effectiveness of economic regulation.  The review of fiscal 
policies for 2008-09 will consider a tax reduction both for 
individual and corporate taxes.  The GOCV hopes such a move 
would energize the private sector, create new job opportunities, 
encourage development of the financial system, boost savings and 
therefore contribute for the development of capital markets. 
Strengthening the broad economic base in this way, the GOCV 
seeks to blunt the impact of the international crisis and its 
impact on Cape Verde's economy, 
 
¶5.  Minister Brito, who until the day before was the Minister of 
Economy (including industry and energy affairs), added that Cape 
Verde will focus on developing renewable energy to prevent a 
repeat of the current energy crisis.  The goal is to rely 25% 
upon renewable energy by 2011 and 50% by 2020.  There are plans 
also to make the island of Sal fully (100%) reliant on renewable 
energy (a combination of solar, wind, wave, biomass) over the 
next 5 to 10 years. 
 
¶6.  The GoCV presented a very detailed development program for 
2008-2011, in which it identified areas of intervention by 
projects and by financing partners.  To accomplish these goal, 
the GOCV will call upon the assistance of bilateral and 
multilateral development partners, including the United Nations. 
 GOCV and UN representatives called on all donors to intensify 
budgetary and/or project support for the multi-year programming 
in order to cover a gap of approximately 568 million dollars. 
 
¶7.  Unanimously, the international partners praised Cape Verde's 
government for the presentation of a clear strategy based on the 
transparency and good governance, and for the courage and 
determination to secure progress in the face of various 
challenges, without  giving in to the temptation in obtaining 
short term political gains.   Representatives of bilateral 
missions and international organizations expressed their 
intention to continue to assist Cape Verde highlighting the 
specific contributions they were able to make, given their 
policies and priorities. 
 
¶8.  COMMENT:  Cape Verde was listed as a "Less Developed 
Country" (LDC) in 1977, two years after its independence. In 
January 2008, four years after the United Nations Resolution 
59/210 recommendation, Cape Verde graduated from a Least 
Developed Country to a Lower Middle Income Country.  The 
decision was based on the country's fulfilling two of the three 
exit criteria.  The two criteria met were:  Income and of Human 
Assets. Cape Verde, however, did not meet the third exit 
criterion of Economic Vulnerability.  In this regard, the 
country remains highly vulnerable to exogenous economic shocks, 
and its score is well below the threshold for exit from the LDC. 
 It is most unfortunate that Cape Verde, which according to the 
latest IMF report, has had "impressive economic performance over 
the last few years reflecting a prudent macroeconomic 
administration and economic reforms" will be hit with an 
exogenous economic crisis in a time that it has also to face the 
challenges deriving  from its too recent graduation as a LDC. 
 
 
DUNN