On 3 April 2025 in Praia, Cape Verde, an ECOWAS mission led by the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitisation, Mr Sediko Douka, accompanied by the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Cape Verde and the Acting Director and Programme Officer of the Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU), visited the cape Verdean minister for Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Housing.
On the agenda was a meeting on ECOWAS support for the development of the 2025-2040 infrastructure master plan. Cape Verde’s support for this transformative initiative is twofold:
- Financial support: a USD 50,000 grant to support the formulation of the national infrastructure plan.
- Technical assistance from the ECOWAS Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU) to provide strategic guidance in the planning, technical review and implementation of the master plan.
On the occasion of the official launch of ECOWAS support and the presentation of a symbolic cheque in support of the initiative, the Commissioner, on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Dr Omar Alieu Touray, expressed his gratitude to the Government of Cape Verde, and in particular to His Excellency José Maria Neves, for the invitation to participate in the development of Cape Verde’s National Infrastructure Plan. He reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to helping all Member States put in place sound policies and regulatory frameworks to improve the delivery of infrastructure services.
This master plan development initiative comes at an historic time, just weeks before ECOWAS’s anniversary, which marks 50 years of regional service and cooperation. As ECOWAS celebrates this important anniversary, the commitment to improving the quality of infrastructure services, connectivity, economic growth and shared prosperity for all citizens of the region remains as strong as ever.
For his part, the Minister for Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Housing, Victor Coutinho, thanked the ECOWAS Commission for its support. He reiterated that this National Infrastructure Master Plan 2025-2024 will provide a comprehensive framework covering all sectors of economic and social infrastructure to stimulate economic development, growth and regional integration in Cape Verde. The statements were followed by the symbolic presentation of a cheque for USD 50,000.
Following the official ceremony, the PPDU team held technical working sessions with the Cape Verde Infrastructure (ICV) team, with the aim of developing a clear roadmap for the next steps.
The ECOWAS delegation also paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Regional Integration, His Excellency José Filomeno Monteiro, and took advantage of the mission to meet the Secretary of State for the Digital Economy, Dr Pedro Lopes, to discuss the Amílcar Cabral Submarine Cable Telecommunications Project. The issue of Cape Verde’s financial participation in the project, the establishment of a national Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), the finalization of the headquarters agreement for the ECOWAS representation, and the operationalization of the National Early Warning Office were among the subjects discussed with the two ministers. The ECOWAS National Unit in Cape Verde also took part in all the meetings.
The ECOWAS delegation expresses its appreciation to the government and people of Cape Verde for their warm welcome and commitment to regional cooperation. This collaboration underlines Cape Verde’s commitment to the principles of regional integration, solidarity and shared prosperity.
As ECOWAS embarks on the next 50 years, the Commission remains true to its vision of increasing connectivity, stimulating economic growth and improving infrastructure services for all citizens.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
