A delegation from Cape Verde’s National Assembly, headed by the leaders of the parliamentary groups of the two largest political parties represented, will participate this weekend in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) Parliamentary Forum in Bissau, the capital of Guinea Bissau. The forum comes in the wake of the diplomatic maelstrom that has emerged over the past several weeks regarding the issue of drug trafficking in Guinea Bissau.

The Bissau forum, which will run from Friday to Sunday, is aimed, according to a source contacted by A Semana Online, at continuing the debate surrounding the idea of creating a parliament for all of the countries that use Portuguese as an official language. Indeed, the project has always been a part of the CPLP agenda, as one of the organization’s “fathers,” Brazil’s José Aparecido de Oliveira, has always defended.

Cape Verde will be represented by a delegation of five legislators, including the leaders in parliament of the two main political parties - Rui Semedo (PAICV) and Ulisses Correia e Silva (MpD). The delegation will also include Armindo Maurício and Hermínia Curado of the PAICV and Clemente Garcia of the MpD.

Angola and oil

The forum takes place as the prime minister of Angola wraps up a four-day visit to Guinea Bissau. Fernando Pires dos Santos is accompanied on his trip by a 50-person delegation that includes the minister of internal administration and the minister of finances.

Luanda has already expressed its interest in investing in Guinea Bissau, particularly in the area of petroleum, at a moment in which the possible opening of bids for the exploration of the country’s oil deposits is being discussed.

Drug Trafficking

In the past several months, Guinea Bissau has witnessed a massive influx of foreign delegations coming to discuss, whether overtly or not, the issue of drug trafficking in the country. As such, it is also likely that the CPLP forum will also seek, directly or indirectly, to touch upon the situation in the country and attempt to respond to the appeal on the part of Guinea Bissau’s authorities for help in combating the phenomenon.

Source: A Semana