Cape Verde–Guinea-Bissau relations

Cape Verde–Guinea Bissau relationsrefers to thebilateral relationshipbetween theRepublic of Cape Verde(Cabo Verde) and theRepublic of Guinea-Bissau. Cape Verde is anisland countryabout 900 km north-west of Guinea-Bissau, a coastalWest Africancountry. Both were colonies of thePortuguese Empireand they campaigned together for independence with a plan for unification, but the countries separated after 1980. The two countries were both founder members of theCommunity of Portuguese Language Countries(CPLP) in 1996, and are each members of theAfrican Unionand theEconomic Community of West African States(ECOWAS).
The area on the mainland under Portuguese rule now containing Guinea-Bissau was originally called "Guiné de Cabo Verde". Cape Verde was a site of transit in the slave trade from Guinea-Bissau to the Americas.Portuguese Cape Verdesupplied many colonial officials for the mainlandPortuguese Guinea, later Guinea-Bissau, at one point making up three-quarters of the civil service.
Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau campaigned together for independence fromPortugal, chiefly led byAmílcar Cabral's MarxistAfrican Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde(PAIGC) from 1956.Cape Verde provided the bourgeoisie that led the anti-colonial movement in Portuguese Guinea.An ideology of unity was key to Cabral's theory of African liberation, and Cabral was himselfCape Verdean Guinea-Bissauan, though the call for unity was partly a tactic to avoid Guinea-Bissau becoming independent without Cape Verde, as the latter had closer ties to Portugal.The PAIGC then fought theGuinea-Bissau War of Independence(part of the widerPortuguese Colonial War), and declared independence in 1973, being formally granted independence in September 1974. Cape Verde joined Guinea-Bissau in independence from Portugal when it peacefully negotiated independence on 5 July 1975,following the April 1974Carnation Revolutionin Portugal, andAristides Pereiraof the PAIGC became president. The intent was unification, as written into the two countries' constitutions.The PAIGC viewed them as "sister republics" with "two bodies with only one heart", and the countries shared a flag and national anthem.
However, the elites in Cape Verde opposed unification, there were constitutional and legal differences, and the trade between them was minor.On November 14, 1980, acoup d'étatbyJoão Bernardo Vieiraagainst "foreign"mestiçosoverthrew the government ofLuís Cabral(half-brother of Amílcar) in Guinea-Bissau, leading to Cape Verde separating underPedro Pireson January 20, 1981 and forming the rulingAfrican Party for the Independence of Cape Verde(PAICV).
From 1980 to 2000, during the Vieira presidency in Guinea-Bissau, the countries were less closely involved. Guinea-Bissau experienced a lack of development and periods of violence while Cape Verde was relatively stable. Guinea-Bissau was, like other "non-aligned" African states, closer to the Soviet Union, while Cape Verde, nominally Marxist, formed relations with Western countries due to a dependence on food imports following drought.Diplomatic relations were restored after the presidents met in June 1982, and an ambassador from Cape Verde was received by Guinea-Bissau in July 1983.
After multi-party politics was introduced in Cape Verde in 1990, the victoriousMovimento para Democraciachanged the flag and national anthem away from being similar to that of Guinea-Bissau.
In the 1998Guinea-Bissau Civil War, triggered by a crackdown on Senagelese separatists in Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde called for the withdrawal of troops from Senegal and Guinea-Conakry from Guinea-Bissau, there to support Viera. Cape Verde also opposed Viera's request for ECOWAS to send peacekeepers. Cape Verde took in refugees from Guinea-Bissau and helped to negotiate peace as part of the CPLP, with Cape Verdean foreign ministerJosé Luís de Jesuschairing the discussions on a Portuguese warship that led to a ceasefire agreement. The Cape Verde president Peres also mediated during the violent2005 presidential electioncampaign in Guinea-Bissau, and following the 2009 assassination of Vieira.
Relations have improved since the election ofMalam Bacai Sanháin Guinea-Bissau in 2009.The air connection between the countries operated byTACV, which had been suspended following the April 2012 coup in Guinea-Bissau, was restored in June 2015 during a visit of Cape Verdean Prime MinisterJosé Maria Nevesto Bissau to meetDomingos Simões Pereiraand discuss economic and business relations. Neves had last visited in 2011.The countries signed an agreement on avoidingdouble taxationthat September.
Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau share thePortuguese languageas their official language, and the Portuguese creoleCrioulo languageas a recognised language.
Cape Verdean Guinea-Bissauanshave formed an Associação dos Filhos e Descendentes de Cabo Verde, andGuinea-Bissauan Cape Verdeans, who number around 8–9000, have formed an Associacao dos Guineeneses Residentes em Cabo Verde. Despite their shared language and culture, immigrants from Guinea-Bissau are often viewed as "manjacos", a derogatory term used for people from mainland Africaand the legalisation of Guinea-Bissauans in Cape Verde has been long delayed.