Economist Alexandra Ferreira-Lopes told Lusa today that the economic relationship between Portugal and the Portuguese language African countries (PALOP) has been losing importance due to Europe’s economic predominance. “The economic relationship between Portugal and the PALOP is still important, but it has lost importance over time, as has happened with all of Portugal’s other trading partners outside of Europe,” the economist, explained. “Most of our international trade is intra-Community, so the PALOP and other economies with which we used to have trade ties have lost importance, including the United States and the United Kingdom, which although relevant, are less predominant, and in recent decades another main partner, Spain, has appeared,” the economist from ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, who specialises in open macroeconomics and economic cycles points out.
Former African colonies “becoming less important since 1974 revolution”
