Bilateral cooperation on cultural and creative industries is a priority in the relationship between the Republic of Cape Verde and the Macao Special Administration Region (SAR), and a topic for further exploration.

The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng, made the remark on Monday (6 March) during a meeting at the Government Headquarters with the Minister of Culture and Creative Industries of Cape Verde, Mr Abraão Vicente. Mr Vicente’s official visit to Macao included attendance at events during the 6th edition of “The Script Road – Macau Literary Festival”.

With the support of the Central Government, the SAR Government had dedicated increasing effort to the transformation of Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure, and a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as a hub for cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, said Mr Tam.

The two officials agreed that existing cooperation – in particular on tourism and education – had helped extend further the ties between the two places.

Cape Verde has a greater number of young people studying at higher education institutions in Macao than any other Portuguese-speaking country. Cooperation between Macao and the World Tourism Organization had provided favourable conditions under which Macao is able to train a greater number of tourism professionals.

During Monday’s meeting, Mr Vicente noted that among those Cape Verde students that had received an education in Macao many had gone on to make a significant contribution to the development of the country’s tourism sector.

The Minister added that Cape Verde had rich resources for tourism: the historic centre of Praia, the country’s capital, had been listed by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The ongoing development of Cape Verde had gained China’s support, added Mr Vicente.

Officials attending Monday’s meeting included: the Ambassador to China of Cape Verde, Ms Tânia Romualdo; and Cape Verde’s Representative to the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, Mr Mário Vicente.