CABO VERDE TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS Contributed by: Nelson Raposo Bernardo, Joana Andrade Correia, Manuel Esteves de Albuquerque and Mafalda Contumélias Batista, Raposo Bernardo & Associados
Cabo Verde as an Atlantic Blue Platform The “blue economy” includes sectors linked to the sea, such as fishing, maritime transport, ports, coastal tourism and ocean energy, and is recognised as one of the crucial pillars for the diversification and sustainability of the Cabo Verdean economy. As an island state with over 90% of its territory consisting of sea, Cabo Verde assigns strategic priority to this domain, sub - stantially integrating it into PEDS II (2021–2026 horizon). Aligned with European policies for the sector, the country recognises in the blue econ - omy a vector for smart and sustainable growth, capable of creating business opportunities for the private sector and fostering innovative pub - lic-private partnerships. The expected positive impacts cover several priority areas, including: • the promotion of trade and export; • the generation of decent jobs; • the advancement of marine scientific knowl - edge; • the development of local value chains; • protection of the environment and marine biodiversity; and • strengthening the security and maritime sov - ereignty of the archipelago. To realise this vision, it is necessary to equip the country with modern, resilient and efficient mari - time infrastructure. Although Cabo Verde already has a relatively well-distributed port network across the islands, it is evident that, given the outlined strategic objectives, this infrastructure requires capacity expansion and technological upgrading. It is in this context that the project “Cape Verde – Sustainable Ports and Blue Econ - omy”, financed by the EIB under the agreement approved in 2025, is situated. This project, with an implementation horizon from 2024 to 2028, foresees a set of structural investments in vari - ous ports of the archipelago, as well as in the
Cabo Verde: Atlantic Blue Platform and Regional Digital Hub Introduction Cabo Verde has been outlining a strategic devel - opment vision based on two emerging pillars: becoming a benchmark Atlantic Blue Platform and consolidating itself as a regional digital hub in West Africa. These objectives are part of the effort to diversify the economy and promote sus - tainable and inclusive growth, as advocated in the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development (PEDS II 2022–2026) and the Digital Economy Strategy of Cabo Verde (EEDCV 2024–2030). Within this vision, the government of Cabo Verde has established international partnerships and significant financing agreements that leverage key sectors of the economy. Two fundamental legal instruments frame this ambition: • a Financing Agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the project “Cape Verde – Sustainable Ports and Blue Econo - my”, approved by Decree No 3/2025 of the Council of Ministers; and • a Loan Agreement with the African Develop - ment Bank (AfDB) for the “Morabeza Innova - tion Project”, formalised by Decree No 2/2025 of the Council of Ministers. The first agreement is part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and focuses on the expansion and modernisation of maritime-port infrastruc - ture and the promotion of the blue economy in Cabo Verde. The second agreement aims to accelerate digital transformation and technologi - cal innovation, catapulting Cabo Verde into the position of a regional technological hub.
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