Portugal intends to enhance its community in South Africa

The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Paulo Cafôfo, claimed that his visit to South Africa has "a strong component of enhancing our community" for "its contribution not just to developing South Africa and contributing to the economy, but above all for staking Portugal’s claim in the country".

In a statement to Lusa press agency in Cape Town, the Secretary of State said the Government intends to enhance Portuguese immigration to South Africa through connection to Portuguese products, the community’s investment in Portugal and fostering the Portuguese community’s notoriety in the country.

Paulo Cafôfo said that this is about "trying to promote businesses here so they can have success in terms of connections to Portuguese products" and also "for what is done here to have an export effect in Portugal".

In this sense he indicated the National Programme to Support Investment by Portuguese Communities Abroad, which seeks to "channel assistance and incentives so that these entrepreneurs may also invest in Portugal", noting the Portuguese Communities Aboard Investor Meeting to be held from 15 to 17 December.

The Secretary of State, who will meet with Portuguese entrepreneurs from the fisheries and fishing industry said that their desire for more interaction between both Governments to set up sector partnerships is "a win-win perspective".

"Our communities abroad always end up being a bridge between two Governments and we need to foster our community’s credibility and notoriety to tighten the ties between both countries and (…) there is an interest for this to happen", he claimed.

The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities visits South Africa from 8 to 12 November, his first official visit to the country to reach out to the Portuguese community. Following Cape Town, Paulo Cafôfo will be travelling to Durban, Johannesburg and Benoni, ending his trip in Pretoria.