Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Expresso das Ilhas
Published on 2024-03-01 15:33:27
The Movement for Democracy expressed today its satisfaction with Cabo Verde’s position as the freest country in Africa, according to the latest report from Freedom House, and reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to promoting human rights and civic participation. Meanwhile, the PAICV highlighted that despite the positive ranking in the report, the country still needs to combat poverty, improve access to employment, social justice, transparency, and the management of public affairs.
The positions of the parties were made clear in press conferences held today.
“It is with great pride and satisfaction that we convene this press conference to celebrate another moment of distinction for Cabo Verde, not only in the context of our continent but also in the world,” said the Secretary-General of MpD, Luís Carlos Silva, emphasizing the importance of this achievement not only for the country but also for the international community.
With a score of 92 out of 100, Cabo Verde surpassed globally renowned nations including Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“This achievement did not come by chance,” Silva emphasized, pointing to the global challenges faced by many nations, such as the rise of populism, extremism, and coups.
However, the Secretary-General of MpD stressed that this prominent position also comes with significant responsibility.
“We are part of a select group of countries considered free, and this requires an ongoing commitment to promoting human rights, social justice, and civic participation,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the President of PAICV, Rui Semedo, stated that despite the positive ranking in the Freedom House report, Cabo Verde still needs to combat poverty, improve access to employment, social justice, transparency, and the management of public affairs.
“I recall that the 2010 report stated that we were on par with countries like Finland and Canada. Since 2005, we have continued to have a very positive score, and it is important not only to look at the snapshot but rather the whole picture,” he emphasized, noting that Cabo Verde met the evaluation requirements such as regular multi-party elections, universal suffrage, and a free and competitive political system.
Semedo also highlighted critical aspects of the report, including access to justice, stating that “access is hindered by an overloaded judicial system,” as well as crime and inequalities for women and immigrant workers.
“We scored 92 out of 100, but it is important to emphasize that we have had this score since 2015 because we had 90 out of 100. We progressed to 92, and we have been at this score for at least three years. We are not changing much,” he declared, stressing that the country needs to combat poverty, improve access to employment, and eliminate discrimination and persecution based on political affiliation.
Read the original article(Portuguese) on Expresso das Ilhas
