Her Majesty the Queen made a trip to the Republic of Cape Verde from 24 to 27 March, accompanied by the Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Eva María Granados. The objective was to learn first-hand about the work of Spanish Cooperation in three key areas: gender equality, integral development and the blue economy.
On her arrival at Nelson Mandela International Airport (Santiago Island), Doña Letizia was received by diplomatic representatives from both countries. This trip marks her first official visit to Cape Verde and the third cooperation trip to Sub-Saharan Africa, after Senegal (2017) and Mozambique (2019).
On Tuesday 25, His Majesty began his agenda with a meeting at the Spanish Embassy in Cape Verde, where the main cooperation projects in the country were analysed. Spanish Cooperation is structured around three fundamental axes:
Gender equality: Spain has supported the creation of Cape Verde's first Parity Law (2019) and works to strengthen women's economic and political empowerment, combat gender-based violence and improve their access to decent jobs.
Reducing inequalities: Cape Verde is developing the first experience of localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on equity, in partnership with AECID, the Cape Verdean government and the United Nations.
Blue economy: Spanish Cooperation promotes the sustainable development of marine ecosystems and fisheries, promoting employment, environmental protection and tourism regulation, as well as the conservation of endemic species.
Spain has been working with Cape Verde since 1999 and considers it a priority partner in West Africa. In 2021, both countries signed an Advanced Cooperation Agreement that prioritises gender equality, economic growth, environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change.
The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) has invested more than 13 million euros in Cape Verde between 2021 and 2024, with projects implemented by various NGDOs. Currently, 32 Spanish development workers are working on five of the country's nine inhabited islands.
This is Doña Letizia's tenth Cooperation Trip since the King's proclamation in 2014, joining previous missions to Honduras, El Salvador, Senegal, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mozambique, Paraguay, Mauritania, Colombia and Guatemala.
Source: casareal.es 25/03/2025