AGP Executive Report

AFCON’s Commercial Stakes: CAF is reconsidering its planned switch to a four-year Africa Cup of Nations, with President Patrice Motsepe saying a return to a biennial cycle is under review. National associations have raised concerns about the change’s commercial impact and the tournament’s visibility; no final decision has been announced. Football Investment: At a strategy conference on Sal, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said FIFA had invested $1 billion in African football over the past decade and pledged to seek further resources. The funding covers projects across the continent, not Cabo Verde alone. Tourism and Skills: Cabo Verde’s foreign minister said cooperation with Luxembourg, including support for a hospitality school, helped develop workers for a tourism sector now welcoming more than 1.2 million visitors a year. Recent coverage also points to growing interest in Cabo Verde among solo female travellers.

Football’s Commercial Stakes: CAF is reconsidering its plan to stage AFCON every four years, with president Patrice Motsepe saying a return to the biennial schedule is under review at a strategy meeting in Cabo Verde. The Guardian has reported the change could cost CAF $1 billion in revenue. Tourism and Skills: Cabo Verde’s tourism sector welcomes more than 1.2 million visitors a year, and a hospitality school backed by Luxembourg has helped build the workforce to support its growth. Cabo Verde–Luxembourg Ties: The countries’ foreign and environment ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss cooperation, with a focus on developing local skills and capacity.

Tourism: Cabo Verde welcomed a record 1.25 million hotel guests in 2025, up 6% year on year, while overnight stays rose 8.3% to 6.12 million. Tourism helped drive 6.3% real GDP growth, with Sal accounting for nearly 60% of hotel arrivals. Skills & Cooperation: Cabo Verde’s foreign and environment ministers met Luxembourg officials to discuss bilateral ties dating to the 1980s. A Luxembourg-backed hospitality school has helped train workers for the country’s fast-growing tourism industry. Regional Startups: ECOWAS’s 2026 startup programme drew about 9,000 applications, with finalists from 12 member states competing for $65,000 in prizes and potential access to a $5 million investment deal room.

Football Investment: At a strategy conference on Sal, FIFA president Gianni Infantino pledged to seek more funding for African football, citing $1 billion invested across the continent over the past decade. Cape Verde’s 54 football associations unanimously backed his bid for re-election. Tourism and Skills: Cape Verde welcomed a record 1.25 million hotel guests in 2025, up 6% year on year, while overnight stays rose 8.3% to 6.12 million. Tourism helped drive 6.3% GDP growth, according to the World Bank. During a visit to Luxembourg, Cape Verde’s foreign and environment ministers discussed long-running cooperation, including support for a hospitality school that has helped train workers for the tourism sector. Air Links: Azores Airlines says it will continue strengthening connections with Cape Verde as its parent group advances plans to sell at least 75% of the carrier; SATA has received eight expressions of interest.

US Travel Costs: Cabo Verde is among 50 countries whose nationals face a US visa bond of up to $20,000; the updated list does not specify Cabo Verde’s implementation date. Tourism Growth: The country welcomed a record 1.25 million hotel guests in 2025, up 6% year on year, while tourism helped drive GDP growth of 6.3%, according to the World Bank. Sal accounted for nearly 60% of hotel arrivals. Air Links: Azores Airlines plans to maintain connections with Cabo Verde as parent SATA Group pursues the carrier’s privatization; the group has received eight expressions of interest for a stake of at least 75%. Startup Funding: An ECOWAS startup competition drew about 9,000 applications, with organizers projecting up to $5 million in investment opportunities through its deal room.

Startup Funding: ECOWAS’s 2026 business startup programme drew about 9,000 entries, with 60 finalists from 12 countries competing for $65,000 in prizes and potential access to a $5 million investment deal room. Tourism: Cabo Verde recorded 1.25 million hotel guests in 2025, up 6% year on year, as tourism helped drive 6.3% GDP growth; the UK remained its largest source market. Air Connectivity: Azores Airlines plans to strengthen links with Cabo Verde as its parent group advances the carrier’s privatization, with eight expressions of interest received for a stake of at least 75%. Debt and Development: Cabo Verde was listed among Africa’s most indebted economies, at 95.9% of GDP. Separately, an IMF review says the country offers lessons for small, open economies managing external shocks after graduating from least-developed-country status.

ECOWAS Justice Upgrade: ECOWAS swore in five new judges to its Community Court of Justice in Abuja, including Cape Verde’s outgoing judge Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves and new arrivals Désiré Henri Aihou (Benin), Awa Bah (Gambia), Charlyne M. Brumskine (Liberia), Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu (Nigeria) and Yaouza Ouro-Sama (Togo), with Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye urging impartial, credible rulings to restore public trust. Aviation & Connectivity: Portugal’s Azores-focused SATA Group says it’s prioritizing fleet and financial stability as it advances the privatization of SATA Internacional-Azores Airlines, while continuing connectivity with Cape Verde, Europe and beyond. Housing Push: UN marks World Habitat Day with a renewed push for “adequate housing for all,” linking housing to poverty reduction, inequality cuts and climate resilience. ECOWAS Youth in Elections: ECOWAS plans youth observers alongside traditional election monitoring, with Cabo Verde’s November vote and The Gambia’s December polls next before Nigeria’s 2027 elections. US Travel Rules: The US expanded a visa-bond programme for B1/B2 tourist and business visas, requiring eligible applicants from 50 countries to post up to $20,000—an issue for regional mobility and business travel.

ECOWAS Justice: ECOWAS has sworn in five new judges to its Community Court of Justice for a four-year, non-renewable term, with Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye officiating in Abuja; the panel includes judges from Benin, The Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo, appointed under the December 2025 supplementary act. Aviation & Privatisation: SATA Group says it is prioritising fleet, operational and financial stability as it advances the privatisation of SATA Internacional-Azores Airlines, including a planned phase-out of an Airbus A320ceo, while SATA Air Açores focuses on reliability across the Azores. Cabo Verde in the spotlight: ECOWAS says it will deploy youth election observers alongside traditional missions, with the initiative set for Cabo Verde’s November elections before rolling out to The Gambia and then Nigeria’s 2027 polls. Climate & legal certainty: A UN sea-level rise declaration adopted on Sept. 24—co-facilitated by Cabo Verde’s ambassador—aims to protect legal rights and statehood as rising seas threaten small island economies. Global mobility policy: The Philippines expanded visa-free entry for up to 30 days to citizens of 46 African countries, including Cape Verde, while excluding Nigeria and several others. Business & innovation: SkyDrive launched a joint initiative with Kansai partners, including MUFG Bank, to study commercial eVTOL operations in Western Japan.

Sovereign Debt Debate: Cabo Verde is cited among Africa’s most indebted countries (public debt as % of GDP) in a widely shared 2026 ranking, prompting a sharp pushback from Nigeria’s Presidency against “baseless” sovereign-debt alarms. Housing & Cities: World Habitat Day (40th observance) put “adequate housing for all” at the centre of inclusive, resilient city policy, with UN-Habitat stressing housing as a poverty and climate-resilience lever. Climate Diplomacy: Ahead of COP31, a pre-COP meeting in Fiji is drawing limited high-level attendance from outside the Pacific, with Cabo Verde named among confirmed leaders—highlighting how climate finance and sea-level risks are shaping regional agendas. IMF on LDC Graduation: An IMF review points to Cabo Verde’s 2007 LDC graduation as a useful case for managing graduation in a small, shock-exposed economy. Digital Connectivity: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom signed an LOI to explore a South Atlantic interconnection corridor linking Lisbon and São Paulo, aiming to improve data routing for Europe, West Africa and Latin America. Child Protection: Cabo Verde’s Family Ministry says the country must not “normalize” sexual violence against children, calling for faster, coordinated responses and noting a backlog of pending cases. ECOWAS Youth in Elections: ECOWAS plans youth observers alongside traditional missions for Cabo Verde’s November elections and The Gambia’s December polls, with Nigeria’s 2027 vote next.

Fuel Costs & Retail Prices: Global oil prices stayed pressured in September, with Brent ending at $103.50/bbl, and high transport and weak refining capacity keeping African petrol prices uneven—Malawi topped the continent at $3.240/litre while Libya, Angola and Algeria sat far lower. ECOWAS Youth in Elections: ECOWAS says it will add youth observers to election monitoring, starting with pilots in Côte d’Ivoire and Benin, then rolling out to Cabo Verde’s November vote and The Gambia’s December polls before extending to Nigeria’s 2027 elections. Digital Connectivity for Cabo Verde: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom signed an LOI to explore a South Atlantic interconnection corridor linking Lisbon and São Paulo, aiming to improve data routes for Europe, West Africa and Latin America. ECOWAS Startup Awards: Nigeria’s HubPharm Africa won the $30,000 grand prize at the ECOWAS Startup Awards, with Cabo Verde’s Afrikan Coders among the top finalists. US Visa Bonds: The US expanded a B1/B2 visa bond programme to 50 countries, with 30 African nations affected and bond amounts up to $20,000—Cabo Verde readers should watch how this may affect travel planning and business visits.

South Atlantic Connectivity: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom (CVTelecom) signed a Letter of Intent to explore a new Lisbon–São Paulo interconnection corridor, aiming to route data more directly between Southern Europe, West Africa and Latin America and reduce reliance on northern hubs. ECOWAS Youth in Elections: ECOWAS says it will add youth observers to election monitoring, with the approach set for Cabo Verde’s November vote and The Gambia’s December polls before extending to Nigeria’s 2027 elections. ECOWAS Startup Push: Nigeria’s HubPharm Africa won the ECOWAS Startup Awards’ top prize (US$30,000), with finalists including Afrikan Coders from Cabo Verde, as the bloc also launched new private-sector and startup academy initiatives. Climate Diplomacy Watch: A pre-COP31 meeting in Fiji is drawing limited high-level attendance from outside the Pacific, even as island states press for stronger climate action and finance ahead of COP31 in Turkey. Cabo Verde in Global Spotlight: The IMF highlights Cabo Verde as one of the few LDC graduates, noting graduation alone doesn’t automatically change growth patterns, but can offer lessons for small, shock-exposed economies.

ECOWAS Startup Awards: Nigeria’s HubPharm Africa won the US$30,000 grand prize at the 2nd ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja, beating Senegal’s Gaynako (US$20,000) and Côte d’Ivoire’s My Opinion (US$15,000); Cabo Verde’s Afrikan Coders also made the top finalists, as ECOWAS launched a Private Sector Development Academy and Startup Networks to connect entrepreneurs across the region. Youth in elections: ECOWAS says it will add youth observers to traditional election monitoring for Nigeria’s 2027 polls, after pilots in Côte d’Ivoire and Benin, with the same approach planned for Cabo Verde’s November elections and The Gambia’s December vote. Digital connectivity: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom signed a Letter of Intent to explore a South Atlantic interconnection corridor linking Lisbon and São Paulo, aiming to route data more directly between Southern Europe, West Africa and Latin America. Climate diplomacy: World powers are sending delegates to Pacific pre-COP talks in Fiji and Tuvalu ahead of COP31 in Turkey, with criticism that attendance from outside the region is limited—while island states push for stronger climate finance and action. US visa bonds: The US State Department expanded a B1/B2 visa bond programme to 50 countries, with bond amounts up to US$20,000; Cabo Verde isn’t mentioned in the provided list.

ECOWAS Youth Election Monitoring: ECOWAS says it will add youth-only observers to its election missions, starting with Nigeria’s 2027 general election, after pilots in Côte d’Ivoire and Benin; the programme will also roll out in Cabo Verde’s November elections and The Gambia’s December polls, with finance access flagged as a key barrier for young political participation. South Atlantic Connectivity Deal: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom (CVTelecom) signed a Letter of Intent to explore a Lisbon–São Paulo interconnection corridor, aiming to cut reliance on northern hubs and improve resilience for networks across Europe, West Africa and Latin America. Climate Preparedness in Cabo Verde: Cabo Verde validated its Early Warnings for All roadmap following Tropical Storm Gonzalo, pushing a multi-hazard approach linking monitoring, warnings and preparedness across institutions, local authorities and partners. Health & Innovation Spotlight: At the ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja, HubPharm Africa (with Afrikan Coders from Cape Verde among top finalists) won the overall prize, highlighting regional health-tech momentum and investor access. US Visa Bond Rule: The US expanded a B1/B2 visa bond requirement to 50 countries, with bond amounts up to $20,000; the list is updated as of Oct 2, 2026, and applicants must follow consular instructions before paying.

US Visa Policy: The US State Department expanded a visa-bond programme for B1/B2 visitor visas, requiring eligible applicants from 50 countries to post deposits of $10,000–$20,000 (about KSh 1.29m–KSh 2.59m) before interviews; Kenya is not on the updated list. ECOWAS Youth Politics: ECOWAS says it will deploy youth-only election observers for Nigeria’s 2027 vote, with the approach also planned for Cabo Verde and other member states. Digital Connectivity for Cabo Verde: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom signed a Letter of Intent to explore a South Atlantic interconnection corridor linking Lisbon and São Paulo, aiming to route data more directly for Europe, West Africa and Latin America. Climate Diplomacy: World powers are meeting in Fiji ahead of COP31 to push climate finance and ocean-focused action as sea levels rise; Reuters notes Cabo Verde is among the confirmed leaders attending the pre-COP segment. Child Protection: Cabo Verde’s Family and Social Affairs minister says the country must not “normalize” sexual violence against children, citing 600+ new cases annually and a backlog at the prosecution service.

South Atlantic connectivity: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom (CVTelecom) signed a Letter of Intent to explore a new Lisbon–São Paulo interconnection corridor, aiming to route more data directly between Southern Europe, West Africa and Latin America and reduce reliance on Northern hubs. Climate diplomacy with Cabo Verde in the room: World powers are meeting in Fiji (Oct 5–8) to set the agenda for COP31 in Turkey, with Pacific leaders pushing for the 1.5°C target, more climate finance, and stronger focus on ocean impacts; Cabo Verde is among the confirmed non-Pacific leaders. Digital infrastructure push: The same DE-CIX–CVTelecom plan would link CVTelecom transport capacity with DE-CIX interconnection services across Europe and the Americas, including Frankfurt, Madrid, Marseille, New York and São Paulo. Local risk planning: Cabo Verde validated its Early Warnings for All roadmap after Tropical Storm Gonzalo, moving toward implementation of a multi-hazard approach linking monitoring, warnings and preparedness. Business & innovation: ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja crowned HubPharm Africa, while Afrikan Coders from Cape Verde reached the top five. Social policy: Cabo Verde’s Family Ministry said the country cannot “normalize” sexual violence against children, citing hundreds of new cases and a backlog at the public prosecution.

South Atlantic Connectivity: DE-CIX and Cabo Verde Telecom (CVTelecom) signed a Letter of Intent to explore a new Lisbon–São Paulo interconnection corridor, aiming for more direct data exchange across Europe, West Africa and Latin America and less reliance on Northern hubs. Digital Economy & Startups: ECOWAS Startup Awards in Abuja crowned Nigeria’s HubPharm Africa, while Cape Verde’s Afrikan Coders made the top five—highlighting regional momentum for health-tech and innovation. Social Protection & Child Safety: Cabo Verde’s Family and Social Affairs minister said the country cannot “normalize” sexual violence against children, citing 600+ new cases annually and about half involving minors, and calling for faster, coordinated action. Climate Resilience: Cabo Verde validated its Early Warnings for All roadmap after Tropical Storm Gonzalo, stressing a multi-hazard approach linking monitoring, warnings and preparedness. Business & Tourism: A report on Ghana’s tourism warns high e-visa fees could hurt arrivals, comparing costs with Cape Verde and other regional destinations. Global Context: World powers meet in the Pacific ahead of COP31, with Pacific leaders pushing for stronger climate finance and action on sea-level rise.