Cape Verdean Progressive Center Hosts Prime Minister of Cape Verde

The Cape Verdean Progressive Center in East Providence hosted a luncheon last Saturday afternoon for Cape Verde Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves.

His visit came two days after he visited the White House and talked with President Obama. It drew a variety of local officials, including U.S. Rep. David Cicilline of RI, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, and East Providence Mayor James Briden, said the mayor.

Briden, who sat at the two-tiered head table, presented Neves with a citation from East Providence. A welcome banner hung on the center’s wall. 

Neves has visited the Greater Providence-New Bedford area several times since he took over as prime minister in 2001, according to the Providence Journal. His visits are intended to strengthen ties that might help the economic development of the island that sits off the west coast of Africa. 

Neves does not speak English very well. An interpreter translated his remarks on Saturday. He touched on progress made on the island, including reducing its poverty level from 80 percent several decades ago to 24 percent today.