Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
PRAIA, CABO VERDE–U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) led a congressional delegation’s visit to Cabo Verde on August 15. The delegation includes Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), as well as Representatives Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.), and David Price (D-N.C.). Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO Alice Albright is also traveling with the delegation. The delegation met with President José Maria Neves, Foreign Minister Rui Figueiredo, as well as Finance Ministry Secretary of State Pedro Lopes, a former fellow from the Young African Leaders Initiative. They also visited families who benefitted from an MCC clean water investment and a solar farm and desalination plant, where they learned about the country’s climate goals and vulnerabilities. The delegation also visited a Cabo Verde Coast Guard facility, where they met with U.S. servicemembers stationed there and explored ways to improve our countries’ partnership on maritime security and narcotics interdictions.
“It was a pleasure to visit Cabo Verde and discuss how we can strengthen the relationship between our countries with President Neves and Foreign Minister Figueiredo. Cabo Verde is an important democratic ally that has the potential to serve as a digital hub for West Africa, connecting communities across the region and the diaspora. During our visit, we discussed ways to attract U.S. foreign investment and further digital trade to bolster economic ties and counter growing Chinese influence. We also discussed efforts to make the country more resilient to climate change and visited a solar power facility that showcased Cabo Verde’s future in renewable energy, as well as a community that has access to clean water because of an MCC investment. On our final stop, our delegation met with the U.S. Special Forces Green Berets who are there training Cabo Verde’s armed forces as part of our close security partnership. I’m looking forward to continuing to advance the United States’ strong ties with Cabo Verde and other African nations throughout this visit.”
Senator Coons is Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he sits on the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy.
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