Africa-Press – Cape verde. The creation of an agency to promote private investment for the island and the transformation of Fogo into an agro-industrial production center were some of the topics discussed between the vice-prime minister and the presidents of the municipal councils.The meeting, which took place at the premises of Paços do Concelho dos Mosteiros, classified by the deputy prime minister and minister of Finance, Olavo Correia, as “very productive and useful”, allowed the parties to analyze the future of the island of Fogo, which will be anchored in the Special Economic Zone, with its epicenter on the volcano.
The idea is to guarantee the conditions to develop sustainable tourism linked to the environment and nature, with the volcano’s signature, but also to develop creative industries, according to the protagonists of the meeting.
The deputy prime minister defended the need to have all the island’s capabilities at water level for agriculture anchored in the transformation of agro-industry to produce and export, as well as the development of creative industries and events in which the island has enormous potential. .
“It is essential to continue investing in fishing and the blue economy to create jobs and produce for the national market and all of this requires private investment,” said Olavo Correia, adding that he discussed with the presidents of the chambers the possibility of creating an agency to promote of private investment.
According to the governor, this involves the creation of an intermunicipal agency that has the capacity to develop unified concepts and a brand for the island and with the capacity to mobilize investment and be a machine capable of acting internally and externally to bring investors to the island.
For the transformation of the island, Olavo Correia defends investments in major airport and port infrastructures, health, energy, water and sanitation sectors, as well as ensuring a good level of service.
“In order for the island to develop, it must be connected with the Sotavento Axis (Santiago, Maio, Fogo and Brava), but also with its diaspora, especially in the United States of America”, said Olavo Correia, highlighting that the island’s development requires air and sea transport with regularity, frequency, safety and quality, but also resolve the issue of port, airport, energy and human capital.
Olavo Correia left the guarantee that the Government will work on a strategic document linked to the Special Economic Zone for the island of Fogo, but also regional development plans and an agenda for the island of Fogo to transform.
The deputy prime minister recalled that the transformation will not happen overnight, because, he explained, it is necessary to identify the vision and ensure leadership to implement and develop the concept and mobilize financing, which takes a few years.
During the meeting, which lasted more than two hours, Olavo Correia and the mayors discussed other relevant aspects such as the shortage of inert materials, the issue of requalifying the Queimada Guincho waterfront, the historic center of São Filipe, the asphalting of some roads that need to be closed.
“The most important thing is that we are aligned in terms of the vision and concept of the Special Economic Zone centered on the volcano, in the transformation of the island of Fogo into an agro-industrial production center and an island that is capable of being strong in terms of creative industries and with great focus on human capital and private investment”, said Olavo Correia, highlighting that now is the time to develop management instruments for the implementation of the various measures for development consistent with time.
The government official recalled that any agenda must be thought of from a decade-long perspective and that results are integrated annually so that citizens have confidence that things are happening.
Faced with the fact that the projects have been dragging on over time, Olavo Correia said that this is a vision for the future of the island and that the implementation of the Special Economic Zone with its epicenter on the volcano will allow the development of a brand and image for the island and enable the creation of a set of tax and parafiscal benefits to attract investment.
“If we want to transform the island into an agro-industrial production center, it must be based on private companies and with a guarantee of adequate service in terms of transport, air and sea, but also have the capacity to attract investors”, said the official for whom the Fundamental is the alignment that exists between the Government and municipal councils.
Olavo Correia also recalled that there are several other projects that are on the Government’s agenda for the island and that he is looking for financing for their implementation, such as the completion of the ring road, creation of better conditions at airport level, the solution for the sector energy, water, which is essential for agriculture and which must be available and at a competitive price.
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