National Workshop Promotes Renewable Energy for Productive Use in Cabo Verde

The ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) collaborates with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, in the elaboration of a project aimed at socio-economic development.

Praia, May 29, 2024 – In a joint effort to propel the implementation of sustainable renewable energy solutions in Cabo Verde, the ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Energy of Cabo Verde (MICE) and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), held the National Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Renewable Energy for Productive Use. The event aims to accelerate the country’s socio-economic development, especially by benefiting the most vulnerable population.

The national workshop brought together multiple stakeholders from the water, energy and agriculture sectors to discuss the selection of value chains in agriculture, fisheries and livestock as main productive livelihood sectors in the country. The goal is to obtain meaningful input from national stakeholders to prioritize value chains and implement solutions that promote clean technologies.

The Director of ECREEE, Mr. Francis Sempore, in his opening speech at the workshop, expressed his conviction that the project will improve the living conditions of rural communities, strengthen their economic base through the development of cleaner energy sources, and promote the adoption of technological innovations in value chains.

The Director of the Energy Service at Cabo Verde’s Ministry of Energy, Mr. Carlos Monteiro, stressed that the workshop is a step towards Cabo Verde achieving its sustainable development goals and improving access to renewable energy for all its citizens.

The collaboration between ECREEE, MICE and AECID highlights the importance of international cooperation in tackling energy and climate challenges, promoting a more sustainable and inclusive future for the country.

The consultative workshops for the Circular Economy and Nexus (Water, Energy and Food) projects began on April 30 with the first workshop in Dakar (Senegal), followed by a national workshop in Cotonou (Benin) on May 16. The meeting in Cabo Verde will be followed by similar workshops in the following implementation countries: Guinea-Bissau (Bissau), June 4; Gambia (Banjul) June 12; and Nigeria (Abuja), June 25, 2024.