The special partership between Cape Verde and the European Union, that the CV government has sought for so many years, has been approved. Cape Verde Goverment officials say that CV-EU special partership deal, which needs to be ratified in November by the EU central committe, to take permanent effect, will dramatically lower the poverty indexes in Cape Verde. Moreover, the significantly greater amounts of $grants from the EU that Cabo Verde will be a benefiaciary of, as a result of this special parternship, would exponentially improve the overall quality of service in the areas of education, health-care and housing, Cape Verde officials claim. Additionally, pundits speculate that after the parternship proposal is ratified by the European Union central committe, Cape Verdean citizens may get visa waivers to enter EU nations.

maica,

it is better to be convinced too late than never, so welcome in the support. As you have a quite good writing style, I will ask you something after november

It would be good to know the details and terms of this Special Status. History has shown that generally Europeans wouldn't do something big like this if they won't get a good return out of it. Therefore, my question here is; WHAT WILL CAPE VERDE WIN WITH THIS AGREEMENT AS WELL? Besides providing a market for European businesses to dump the products that they can't sell in their continent, a strategic geo-political positions for military deployment and possible wars in a world marked by a battle against hard-line terrorists, and a n easy pass for European tourists to a sunny and pleasurable playground, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR CAPE VERDEANS THAT WANT TO MOVE IN THE OPPOSITE ROAD TO EUROPE? HOW WILL CONTRACT BENEFIT THE POOR PEOPLE OF CAPE VERDE?

The Cape Verdean Government should make public the terms of the agreement.

cv2k,

if you are really interested to know what is in the partnership, you would have inquired on your own initiative, because the internet is full of documents on that matter.

then, yes, if the EU accepts to give cv a status it is because the EU will have something interesting from it. The EU has 350 million inhabitants and don't need the 1/2million capeverdean market. What the EU needs is to stop the narcotraffic. Because 50% of the drugs that engter the EU enter trough spain and portugal, because the drugs goes from south america to iberia trough macaronesia. Capeverde is part of macaronesia and is an easy target for the narcotraffickers. Now if the EU integrates capeverde into the global EU security system, the narcotraffickers will be stuck and will not be able to send their drug into the EU market as easily as they do it now.

The advantage for cv will be numerous and will have acces to a efficient market of 350million inhabitants...the richest union of the world

Dear Friends.
My thoughts about Cabo verde and the European Union.

I think that Cabo Verde has made an excellent and a wise decison to be a part of the European Union.

It will serve not only Cabo Verde but other third world countries especially Africa. Cabo Verde is in the pivotal position to work with and to gather information and knowledge to work for peace and harmony.

I think that those who serve in the government are well aware of the influence we can have as a balance in world affairs. A centrist or centroid
dimensional figure and having the stimulus for the good of the all in all for our planet earth for peace and harmony.

World Ambassador's of good will to protect from harm. To try our best in a new state of mind to deilver the preservation from destruction or failure.

To bring about a transformation for peace.

We hope we pray and we want.

Let us try to make the best of changes from within.

Manu Salah

PS. Remember we are also member of The African Union.

cv2k, I went to the usa last month, and I felt privileged to be from he EU, I felt harassed by the americans begging and fighting to earn every dollar they can while in europe it is more relaxed when it comes to money, if there is no money the governement will give you 500$ as social wellfare and pay your rent and...so I felt privileged to be from europe and not have the same hunger for every dollar around as the americans I met.

Salah,

I am glad you understood the positive side of the partnership. Everyone will benefit from this

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and if there is bad effects, people will work to turn it good.

I will go to new york next year...so I will see. By the way, Texas is not that bad.

for those wh want to hear the 15 minutes speech of Neves and Barroso, they can go to the following link

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go to the commission press briefing of 25/10/2007 Start time: 13:45:13 Duration: 00:15:57

I keep wondering about this important factor, VISAS to enter EU nations. When the special partership between Cape Verde and the European Union is ratified, will Cape Verdeans no longer need visas to enter EU member nations? If this is the case, will it materialize in the near future on years along the line?

For those of you in the know, do answer this question?

That's another question I'd like to see answered.

St_Antao, thatt's for the link about Durao Baroso speech.

You might be interested in checking the 60 Minutes video about Sarkozy. Did you know that they call him Sarko, the American? I found the term funny for a French President since France has been very stand offish against American amongst the European countries in the past.


Sarko The American

Video Link:

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He kept calling his press secretary imbecile for scheduling that interview and was very rude to the journalist when she asked him questions about his ex-wife. He actually stepped up and walked away:


Very short tempered president! Somehow his temper reminds me of yourself, St_Antao: the French intolerant attitude towards ideas or things other them theirs. I'm just getting on your nerves, bro.

Maica,

the thing is quite complex. First cape verde has to stop the freedom of movement with the cedeao, which is bringing in cape-verde illegals whose only goal is to go to europe. Then first step will be to be included in the list of countries that will not need visa to enter the schengen area. Then after some years, let say five, if cape-verde performs well, let say if the economy grows fast with 5 million of EU tourists visiting capeverde per year. Then cv will be allowed to have freedom of movement. I am sure that the EU will grant cv freedom of movement in some years because the populatin is small. In the case of portugal and spain, these two had to wait 5 years to be allowed freedom of movement. In the case of the eastern europe countries, they have to wait 5 years to be granted freedom of movement and there is a possibility to extend the wait for 5 more years. The uk granted freedom of movement to the eastern countries and in only tow years there was 0.7 million of their nationals who went to work in the uk. So countries like germany austria and france are quite scared of granting freedom of movement to these countries. In the oposite situation was the case of malta and cyprus who were granted directly freedom of movement because like capeverde they have a very small population.
The EU is quite complex because even if you are not a member state you can be granted freedom of movement. That's the case of norway, iceland and switsserland. So capeverde can also be granted freedom of movement even if cv is not a full member.
But the cv governement has to g step by step and not ask for too much too soon. CV has to prove to the EU that cv deserves better, and that cv is trustfull.

Because portugal is heavilly involved in the process, cv has better chances to see these goals fulfilled, but all the cv people have to work together to develop the country which has a great potential. I predict that cv will have an higher gdp/capita than portugal in some 10 years.

Maica, you can read the interview of Mr Neves in asemana page4

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You know, your predictions for Cabo Verde, having a higher GDP than Portugal, and free movement in the EU for CVs - might indeed come to fruition, one day, in the not so distant future. And when that day comes I hope that you and I will have a cold one together in one of the many world-class cafes that will have poped up by then.
On that day, though, I will insist that we not reminisce about the many murderous diatribes we've had in the last several years. By then I hope we will have grown past our respective differences, no matter how radically different they are from each other.

yes, I am convinced that we don't even imagine how great the situation could be. If in addition to tourism, the goverment plans in transforming cv into a successfull stock exchange then the country will have a very interesting situation. This fact is not to ignore because cv has the support of luxembourg which is the most successfull finnancial market in the world (luxembourg has a high proportion of capeverdeans in its population).
Our murderous diatribes were more of a pastimes than anything else. I hope I will have time to go to New-York next year and will be glad to meet you.

Concerning the EU partnership, the european parliament will vote at the end of november

It's been a while since I signed in to post a comment but I see that the good spirit in which the forum is held is intact. I feel compelled to comment about what one of the guys here was saying about the differences between France & the States.
You think that because Sarkozy Looooooves the US so much it is therefore the best place in the world? Look my cousin is soooo much in love with prostitutes and drugs. Does that makes prostitutes the best women in the world? Or drugs the coolest thing since Jesus?
The truth is that America is a wonderful place to live in, for many reasons, but so is France in particular and Europe in general, and so is Cape Verde and other parts of the world, as long as you can afford to live in those places.
I guess what the "French" guy was trying to say is that socially it is preferable to live in France because if you're in trouble you can find a helping hand, which is often times not the case in the US, where the maxim would rather be: cada um por si, Deus nta pintxa os otus na costa.
Look before you get all worked up about my comment, you need to know that I have lived in the US for 13 years after having lived over 20 years in France. And no, I did not migrate to the US in search of a better life. A better life can be found anywhere as long as you have: peace of mind, a good profession and some talent.
France vs the US? Why not both? LOL
Rapazes, Feliz Natal y Prospero Ano Novo

...just browsing, but still nice to read all these nice posts...

Dear Friend, you said: "Also, France is having a big social and economical crisis right now to the point that President Sarkozy in one instance said that one way to succeed is to imitate the American model. That must be hard for the French pride and their disdain of Americans."

You have to understand what about 60% or more of the French people think about Sarko: he's the second coming of GWB. He's as dumb as they come, but extremely well connected. He controls the media. Does that remind you of someone?

Don’t you believe that we're having a HUGE Social and Economic problem in this country? The difference is that over there a cat is called a cat. Remember, it depends on what your definition of “is” is, this country does not torture, I did not have sex with that woman, the housing market is just fine, we're winning the war, we're number one in the world, etc... Did you know that as of last year there were more Euros circulating in the world than Dollars? Did you know that more and more countries are pegging their currencies on the Euro? Finally, did you know that the Cape Verdeans in Europe send more money and goods than we do from the US and still afford good houses, cars and a very nice life, going to CV for a month every year? Does that sound like people living in misery?

And to place things in their proper context, how can you compare the US market (300 million and 50 States) to 1 State and 60 million people? Let's compare oranges to oranges: a market of 300 mil to one of 350 mil. As you know Texans are no Bostonians just like Italians are no Germans. Floridians are no Washingtonians just like Spaniards are no Dutchs, etc...

Now, if the American dream was so wonderful, why we still have about 50 million people with no health coverage? Why 1% of the population owns most of the fortune in the country? Why so many people in the streets? Why so much desperation? Compare that to: everybody insured, and contrary to what's being said here (to scare people) the quality of the care is top notch (remember, France is rated #1 in the world for health care). As an example, my father has had, prostate surgery, knee, elbow, back, hands, eye, legs, feet surgeries (I’m telling you, a bionic man), all the teeth replaced, without paying a dime.

Compare that to having the best health care system in the world, 70 to 80% of the energy being produced internally, independently, thus cleanly. Compare that to the best public transportation in the world which help reducing the emissions, travel time, etc...

They also beat up on Boeing every day, having sold more planes than the US for the past 5 years or so. They put more satellites in the place than the US, with Arianne. Not bad for a small country envying the US, isn't it? I can sit here and tell you about all the good and bad things you'd find in both countries, but let's not waste our precious time.

See, these are two different cultures and what works for one will most probably fail if adopted by the other one. Where Americans have chosen to replace God with the Almighty Dollar, they decided to better share the benefits.

And the American Dream to me is just that: A DREAM

Gee!!! you surprised me with all these facts. I guess I'm not getting all the sides of the story. Damn CNN and CBS! I'm going to start tuning in into BBC.com again

Sinta Nton, uabah, boti tah passah mal rapash.

My point of view is that every system has its advantages,
the us system is supposed to provide opportunities for everyone who wants and has the desire to succed. Although a big 10% part of the population was out of this scheme no matter what their abilities were. There is also the ones who don't have the abilities to succeed, they are let in the road.

the french system is supposed to bring to anyone the minimum he need to live, a house, food, education for everyone and a minimum wage. Of course there is problem that arise from this system. the biggest problem is social reproduction, which means that you will be in the same social category than your parents because the opportunities are locked and reserved by those who already possesed them and reserve them to their kids. Another problem of social welfare for everyone in france, is that even the rich has access to social welfare and their kids have access to free university and free hospitals and money for making kids. The ones who are poor have no opportunity but still live quite comfortably if we compare to the rest of the world.

Concerning sarkozy, he will face huge problems in the incoming months, because 70% of the elderly people voted for him (they got him elected), and 60% of the young less than 30, voted for its oponent. Sarkozy has been very vicious in its strategy to take the power. He controls all the medias and then he manipulated the poor uneducated people trough tv and radio...when the people that he has fooled will not listen or believe anymore in his promises...he will be in big trouble.

Concerning cv in the EU. the truth is than prior to belonging to west africa, if not at all, capeverde is part of the region called macaronesia.

The history of cv diverges from the history of west africa, and is convergent and went trough the same steps than the other archipelagos of macaronesia. In terms of population also cv has more in comon with macaronesia, at least in its composition (=a mix of whites, (european, north africans and jews) and black africans.

Macaronesia, is an extension of Europe in the atlantique, and it as always been in the last 300 years. Thats why cv feel so europeans. because macaronesia is an extension of europe.

This is why now cv is coming back into the EU influence because the trial to be outside didn't have any historical basis, and the attempts to do so all went down one by one. Now it is coming back to its real position and also regaining its strength as a geopolitical strategic point as it is the most important point in the atlantique as europe is concerned.

That's why I see very soon a full and succesful integration in 5 years.