Cape Verde has “a natural competitive advantage to pursue a sustainable development model” based on its cultural and creative goods and services, says a new study report.

The study, backed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the World Trade Organization, was headed by Brazilian scholar Cláudia Sousa Leitão, an expert in the economics of creative industries. The 77-page report, entitled “Cabo Verde’s Creative Economy: Leveraging culture and creativity for sustainable development”, was published on Thursday.

The document points out Cape Verde’s “tremendous cultural diversity” and “political will” to advance with an economic agenda focused on creative industries. It adds that this sector “can well become a pillar of economic and social development”, through a successful policy framework and an action plan focused on priority areas.

The study also identifies constraints that must be tackled to ensure the sustainable development of such an economy in Cape Verde. Those include limited access to capital, poor information and communication technology capabilities, lack of education and training opportunities, and not enough marketing and distribution channels.