Africa-Press – Cape verde. The number of existing companies in the country increased by 2.6% in 2021, compared to 2020, with 11,404 thousand active companies, employing 72,940 workers, 2.2% more than in the previous year. The data are from the last Annual Survey of Companies for 2021 carried out by INE, revealed this week. In total, companies generated around PTE 248 million in turnover in 2021, an increase of 6.6% compared to the previous year.
The main results of the last Annual Survey of Companies carried out by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) for 2021 are already known. , revealing a picture of the impact of the pandemic, especially on the tourist market, as we will see.
According to data already made available by INE, in 2021 there were 11,404 active companies, translating into an increase of 2.6% compared to 2020, the initial year of the pandemic, in which the numbers showed the existence of 11,115 companies. In practice, from 2020 to 2021 there was an increase of 289 active companies.
In total, these 11,404 companies employed 72,940 workers, corresponding to an increase of 2.2% compared to 2020, in which data pointed to 71,371 jobs generated. This means that in 2021 there was an increase of 1569 people employed, compared to the previous year.
Commerce leads companies and turnover
If we specify active companies by sector, INE data show that the majority (about 67% of active companies) were concentrated in the sectors of Commerce (44.0%), Accommodation and Restaurants (16.7%) and Manufacturing Industry (9.8%).
It should also be noted that the Commerce sector continues to be the largest employer in the country, generating 23.4% of the 72,940 jobs. This is also the sector that generated the most turnover in 2021, i.e. around 49% of the total, against 46% generated in 2020.
In total, INE data show that the 11,404 companies active in the country generated a turnover of around PTE 248 million in 2021, representing an increase of 6.6% compared to 2020.
São Vicente leads average turnover
In 2020, active companies earned around PTE 237 million, that is, 29.9% less compared to 2019, the year before the pandemic.
With regard to average turnover per worker, São Vicente leads with 4,584 contos, while the island of Maio, for example, is in the opposite direction as the one that generated the least value per worker (806 contos).
Regarding the average turnover per company, São Vicente continues to lead with 37,494 contos, in 2021, against 32,024 contos registered in 2020, with an increase of 5470 contos.
It should be noted that, although in 2021 the turnover registered, in general, increases in most islands, the same did not happen in Sal, Boa Vista and Maio, as the first two islands are very dependent on tourist flows, while still in 2021 several hotels closed, with a recovery being experienced from the end of that year.
Majority without organized accounting
But this Annual Survey also shows that, with regard to the type of companies, the majority, that is, 68.1% of active companies, were sole proprietorships/sole proprietorships. Likewise, the majority (63%) do not have organized accounting.
With regard to size, around 74% of active companies in the country, in 2021, were micro companies and only 2.4% belong to the category of large companies.
Social Dialogue: Partners want Commission to work on lines of strategic agreement 2023/2026
The creation of a Commission that will work on the guidelines of the new Social Agreement (2023/2026) was one of the main conclusions of the meeting of the Council for Strategic Agreement that met in Praia, last Tuesday.
The intention is that the document be ready in July and that it gathers the consensus and harmony of the Government and social partners regarding the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development (PEDS 2), which, as is known, is an instrument that will define a set of objectives to be achieved and policies to be undertaken in this time frame. It is certain that the fight against unemployment and poverty is essential for sustainable economic development.
The meeting also discussed changes to the labor code and the operationalization of the Economic and Social Council, among others.
At the end of the meeting, Ulisses Correia e Silva was satisfied with the results, emphasizing that the PEDS “is an important instrument, guiding, strategic, defining policies and objectives” for the near future, allowing both the government and the municipalities to , the private sector and civil society organizations, as well as citizens and families themselves, have a “reference of the future”, of the country.
The revision of the labor code, he also said, “is a necessary reform”, admitting that, in matters of labor reforms, there is never “total convergence”. We have to have the maximum of convergent interests so that we can improve the level of competitiveness of the country’s economy”.
Unions with opening
The UNTC-CS Secretary-General, Joaquina Almeida, said that her Central supports and approves the lines of PEDS 2 “totally”, because “it was a plan that was widely discussed with partners, civil society and chambers, in a general way”, as well as the strategic concertation agreement, for which he says they are “open” for, in debate, “discussing, dialoguing”.
Along the same lines, the president of CCSL, José Manuel Vaz, was confident in this strategic document for the country, as well as in what concerns the consensus of the future strategic concertation agreement.
“The Strategic Agreement, for us, is a very important document, which we approve and support and we are going to designate an element to represent the CCSL in the commission created here”, he said.
However, with regard to changing the labor code, he stressed that CCSL had a “slightly negative” expectation, but that the proposal presented at the meeting, in terms of the terms of reference, is “positive”.
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