Overview
Cabo Verde is an archipelago strategically positioned in the Atlantic Sea, at around 500 kilometers from the African continent. Despite its limited natural resources (mainly sun and wind) and vulnerability to climate-related challenges, Cabo Verde achieved lower middle-income status in 2008. Its economy is driven by tourism which represents around 20% of the national GDP. The country is renowned for political stability, good governance, and is a beacon of liberal democracy in Africa.
Our partnership
The EU and Cabo Verde have been engaged in a Special Partnership since 2007, supporting the country’s long-term development goals, as outlined in ‘Cabo Verde – Ambition 2030’. The partnership focuses on fostering sustainable, green, and inclusive growth by strengthening key competitive sectors such as renewable energy, the blue economy, and digitalisation, in line with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.
Team Europe in Cabo Verde brings together the EU, the European Investment Bank, France, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain, through the Team Europe Initiative ‘Sustainable and Inclusive Cabo Verde’.
Together, we support Cabo Verde’s transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy. Efforts include advancing the country’s commitment to 50% renewable energy by 2030, promoting a resilient maritime economy, strengthening social protection systems to eradicate extreme poverty by 2026, and fostering a sustainable tourism model that balances economic growth with environmental preservation.
The EU has allocated €44 million in grant funding for the Cabo Verde partnership from 2021 to 2027. Cabo Verde also benefits from many multi-country EU programmes. These EU budget resources are instrumental in mobilising additional funding, from development banks and the private sector, for investments in energy, the blue economy, and digitalisation.
EU-Cabo Verde partnership programming documents can be found in the 'Related documents' section below.
Our key initiatives
- Blue economy
The EU and Cabo Verde are working together to promoting a sustainable maritime economy, harnessing the potential of Cabo Verde's abundant coastal resources. Key actions focus on:
- Expanding and modernising Cabo Verde’s ports and its main shipyard (with the European Investment Bank (EIB))
- Facilitating access to finance with an EIB lending operation through a local bank, open to blue economy investments
- Promoting job creation and growth by improving access to finance and by strengthening institutions’ performance for quality control and accreditation in the sustainable processing of fisheries products
- Energy
Cabo Verde is advancing its energy transition with the goal of reaching 50% renewable energy by 2030. Our partnership focuses on:
- Supporting energy efficient and renewable energy generation by private operators and reducing technical and commercial electricity losses.
- Providing technical support to Cabo Verde’s Ministry of Energy, including updating their energy master plan
- Supporting local renewable energy projects (with a European Investment Bank (EIB))
- Digital
Cabo Verde stands at a digital crossroads between Europe, Africa, and America, with the Ella Link cable connecting the continents. To support the country’s ambition to become a digital hub with smart, clean, and secure connections, key initiatives include:
- Improving regional connectivity through investments in submarine cable infrastructure
- Supporting cybersecurity legislation and local capacity to fight cybercrime, while expanding focus on human rights in this domain
- Modernising inter-island cables with Cabo Verde Telecom
- Resilience
The EU works with Cabo Verde to strengthen the country’s social protection, promote sustainable local development, and improve access to water and sanitation. Together they focus on vulnerable communities, enhancing environmental sustainability, and improving public services. Key initiatives include:
- Contributing to building up social protection by triggering a gradual increase of domestic revenues, providing additional fiscal space for expanding priority sectors and ensuring the funding of social cash transfer schemes to the extreme poor
- Promoting children’s rights and fighting child abuse, sexual exploitation, and child labour
- Financially contributing to sustainable development initiatives like sustainable tourism, nature conservation, climate mitigation, and strengthened public services
- Expanding water and sanitation in Praia’s poorer districts and constructing a solid waste management system on Maio Island
