French diplomat Sylvie Millot officially took over the representation of the European Union in Cape Verde after handing over her credentials to President José Maria Neves in Praia.
Millot's appointment marks a new chapter in the bilateral relationship, at a time when European cooperation seeks to boost the economic diversification of the Atlantic archipelago.
The ambassador comes with more than three decades of experience in the EU machinery, having worked in Brussels and in strategic delegations in Africa, the Caribbean and the Maghreb.
In the European Commission, he led key international partnership programmes, with a particular focus on the global climate agenda and the Global Gateway initiative, focusing on infrastructure and sustainable connectivity.
Diplomatic sources in Praia say that Millot intends to strengthen the partnership with Cape Verde in sensitive areas such as renewable energy, maritime security and academic mobility. The country is considered a stable partner in the region.
The arrival of the new ambassador comes at a time of growing European interest in West Africa, where Cape Verde occupies a prominent role as a geostrategic and logistical bridge in the Atlantic.