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News Analysis: Cape Verde witnesses peaceful handover following elections

Xinhua, April 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Cape Verde, the island country off the coast of west Africa, has witnessed a peaceful handover following the March elections.

The country went through changes at the helm of the country's leadership peacefully and without dispute after the opposition won the March 20 legislative elections.

Represented by the Movement for Democracy (MpD) led by Ulisses Correia e Silva, the opposition regained power it lost 15 years ago in 2001 to the African Party for Independence in Cape Verde (PAICV).

Before becoming the fifth prime minister of the country, Correia e Silva was elected twice as the mayor of the capital Praia, in 2008 and 2012, where he was born in 1962. He is married and has children.

A graduate of management from the Lisbon Technical University, the new prime minister has vast experience in the banking sector, having served as a director in the administrative department of Bank of Cape Verde and later as the finance minister between 1995 to 2000.

It was during his stint as the finance minister that Cape Verdean escudo was pegged to the euro, something that helped to stabilize Cape Verde's national economy.

He was elected as member of parliament and head of the MpD parliamentary group between 2006 to 2008, while serving as the party's vice-president. In 2013, he became the president of this party that professes liberalism.

The new prime minister opted for a lean cabinet of 12 members due to the economic challenges facing this island nation of about 600,000 people, with a diaspora population of 700,000 people.

This government, which is the smallest since the reintroduction of multipartyism, particularly comprises of four independent members, three women and no secretary of state.

Speaking in March, Correia e Silva said his priority will be saving the national airline, TACV, which is facing some financial challenges, yet it is considered as an important public company.

He also promised to create a favourable environment for growth, reduce taxes as much as possible and create a public bank that is specialized in funding small and medium size enterprises.

On the international plan, the head of Cape Verdean government said he will prioritize relations with the rest of the African continent. Enditem