Cape Verde is “Ten little grains of sand in the Atlantic” – the words of the archipelago’s most famous daughter, Cesária Évora.

Those unfamiliar with the unique melting pot of Cape Verde would perhaps do well to take the singer and her music as a case study. Known as the Cape Verdean blues, the morna she sings is a genre borne of the nation’s history as a Portuguese colony off Senegal, whose privileged location made it key to the colonial commodities trade. Thus, in morna, the Portuguese fado mixes with Angolan semba and Brazilian modinha: an integration of cultures which informs both life and business in Cape Verde.As colonial traders exploited its location, Cape Verde is positioning itself as a geostrategic hub for the new global age. Four hours away from Brazil and Europe, seven from the USA, infrastructure is rapidly developing to leverage such serendipity, as José Gonçalves, minister for Transport, Tourism and Marine Economy intimates: “Of 15 West African countries, Cape Verde is best endowed, with four category 1 airports, and airlines with full international certification.” This will prove a boon to tourists and entrepreneurs alike – something also within the remit of ENAPOR, the ports authority managed by Jorge Pimenta Maurício. Emphasizing the broad economic impact of infrastructure developments, within three years he expects “3 million tons of merchandise, over 200,000 tourists and 500 fishing ships yearly,” using ENAPOR’s facilities.

In Cape Verde, tourism currently contributes 44.5% to GDP, making it the driving force behind the economy. Moreover, by 2019, the government expects to attract one million visitors annually, an increase of 56%. Within government, however, there is a push for sustainable development and diversification, not just in tourism, but across the board. During its second year in office, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva’s Movement for Democracy party has shown the desire to leverage this in the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development 2017/2021. It contains targets to favor both the business community and the average citizen by generating 7% economic growth, expected to increase per capita GDP by 31% before 2021. Key to achieving government goals are private-public partnerships with FDI across strategic and sustainable areas such as renewable energy, agroindustry, blue economy, and ICT. As Correia e Silva illustrates, “The economy is growing and will accelerate through investment, foreign and domestic. It is this which creates stable employment and decent work.”

The foundation for development is already in place and a number of trade agreements make for a promising future for a trading nation at the crossroads between Africa, America and Europe. The Economic Community of West African States allows tariff-free access to 15 West African countries, with over 350 million people, while the African Growth and Opportunity Act allows duty free export to the USA for 6,500 product types. Preferential trade agreements with both the EU and Portuguese speaking countries, along with an Escudo pegged to the Euro, make Cape Verde’s set-up the envy of many an African nation.

The day before her death, Cesária Évora left the doors to her Mindelo house open as always, pouring drinks and cracking jokes. Such openness stems from the creole concept of ‘morabeza’ something the Executive Manager of the Social Sustainability Fund for Tourism, Manuel Ribeiro, defines as ‘the way we live and how we embrace people; the way we welcome visitors’. Cape Verde’s attitude towards development is equally influenced by morabeza hospitality.

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It is perhaps natural that a nation whose very existence comes from the integration of cultures should have such a welcoming attitude regards business and investment. Cape Verde warmly accepts people of all stripes, whether they come for business, pleasure, or both.