Cape Verde requests emergency support of 700,000 dollars from the African Development Bank

The government of Cape Verde has submitted a proposal to the African Development Bank (AfDB) for emergency funding worth 700,000 dollars, with the aim of supporting the populations and infrastructure affected by the heavy rains and landslides that hit the islands of São Vicente, Santo Antão and São Nicolau in August 2024.

According to the document submitted to the ADB, the torrential rains caused nine deaths, the displacement of around 1,500 people and damage estimated at more than 200 million euros. The floods have profoundly affected sectors such as housing, agriculture, energy, education, transport and tourism, generating a humanitarian crisis on the three islands of Barlavento.

The request, submitted through the Special Relief Fund (SRF), is primarily aimed at financing immediate recovery actions, including the rehabilitation of 21 water catchments, 3,226 meters of irrigation canals, 5,800 meters of pipelines and three reservoirs destroyed by the floods.

A significant part of the funds will be earmarked for agricultural and livestock recovery, with the rehabilitation of 10 hectares of land, the distribution of livestock and poultry, and the supply of basic foodstuffs - such as corn, beans, potatoes, rice and canned goods - to displaced families. The project also provides for the purchase of construction materials, such as 10,000 bags of cement and 10,000 sheets for housing, as well as reinforcing sanitation and drinking water supply actions.

The execution of the activities will be the responsibility of the National Planning Directorate, in the Ministry of Finance, with the support of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Housing. Financial management will be carried out through a special account opened with the Bank of Cape Verde, ensuring transparency and oversight by the Court of Auditors and the ADB.

The funding, divided into three components - 500 thousand dollars for agriculture and food, 151 thousand for materials and water, and 49 thousand for administrative costs - is part of the government's coordinated response, which declared a state of calamity on August 12, 2025.

The authorities stress that the ADB's aid will be essential to alleviate the suffering of the population and allow for the gradual resumption of economic and social life in the affected communities.