The European Union has given Cape Verde almost €19 million for emergency measures and economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the European Union (EU) ambassador in Cape Verde, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, the first disbursement took place in April, worth €5 million, followed in July with another of €12.25 million to the state coffers.
“These are contributions that do not need to be paid back, i.e., they are not loans, they are direct contributions to the state coffers to support the implementation of the measures decreed to support the most vulnerable people,” Sofia de Sousa said.
In addition to these amounts, the representative also reported €1.4 million of support to the National Institute of Social Security (INPS), for individuals and small and micro enterprises that were left without income.
In addition to these disbursements under the Covid-19 pandemic, De Sousa said that the European Union continues to work with many projects with Cape Verde, with considerable amounts, with civil society and with various institutions.
One such institution is the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the EU gave €500,000 to for the preparatory phase of the fifth General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-2020), which was to begin last July but was postponed to the same month of 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The census operation is estimated to cost €3.2 million, co-financed by Luxembourg, under the fourth Indicative Cooperation Programme (PIC) between the two countries.
De Sousa also told Lusa that the European Union is working with the Cape Verde authorities on a “very important project” to extend the ports and a series of accompanying measures worth €17 million.
