"Within the scope of strengthening commercial relations, we want to work on opening a maritime connection between Dakar and Praia, and even to other islands", said Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

The statement was made at the Presidential Palace, in Plateau, the historic center of the Cape Verdean capital, within the scope of a visit by the Senegalese Head of State.

"The maritime route offers very large circulation opportunities at the level of people and goods", said Faye, forwarding the matter to the joint commission between the two countries, which should meet again.

The exchange of goods between the two countries will benefit, as well as Cape Verdean tourism and regional integration, he added.

The creation of maritime connections is a recurring issue in relations between the two countries: in 2021, the heads of diplomacy of Cape Verde and Senegal identified transport across the Atlantic as one of the points for strengthening bilateral cooperation, but without progress.

The President of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves, classified the visit as "historic and strategic" given the "possibility of strengthening relations between the two countries, namely through maritime connections", after the progress made through air transport.

"There is also the possibility of cooperating and articulating positions, both within the framework of the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] and the African Union [AU]", he added.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed his satisfaction with the "commitment" shown by José Maria Neves to regional dialogue.

Cape Verde has "a status of great African democracy", he said, which is why it will have "an important role within ECOWAS to resolve the institution's weaknesses".

"We all know the usefulness that ECOWAS should continue to have within the framework of African integration, but it will not be strong if there are countries that want to leave", pointed out the Senegalese President, in an allusion to Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, whose governments were overthrown by successive military coups since 2020 and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), under the banner of sovereignty and pan-Africanism.

"Therefore, it is important to renew the dialogue" and build a community "of the people", he said.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye's visit is expected to last a few hours and is part of a tour that will take him to Guinea-Conakry today, after taking office on April 2.

Since his inauguration, the Senegalese Head of State has visited neighboring countries such as Mauritania, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast, as well as Ghana and Nigeria.

Senegal is one of the largest economies on the West African coast and is the closest country to Cape Verde.

Dakar and Praia are separated by 650 kilometers of Atlantic Ocean, maintain historical relations and are home to large communities of their respective diasporas.

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