The United States government has announced a $100million direct injection in the Cape Verdean economy.
The investment is to boost the country’s economy by means of supporting local businesses and creating of jobs more jobs for those in the construction sector.
The US will also be spending about $300million on a new embassy in the West African country.
This US embassy headquarters will be located in the Cape Verdean capital, Praia.
It will be constructed on 4.5 hectares of land.
US Ambassador to Cape Verde, Jeff Daigle disclosed this on the eve of Cape Verde 2021 Independence Day celebration.
The project has already been launched and construction of the project is expected to commence soon even though no timelines were given.
Jeff Daigle launched the project in the presence of the Mayor of the city, Francisco Carvalho, and Cape Verde’s Foreign Minister Rui Figueiredo Soares.
The project is expected is reduce Cape Verde’s unemployment rate as some 300 people are estimated to serve as staff in the embassy.
This project comes to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Cape Verde – US relations
The partnership between the two nations are expanding, particularly in the area of education and security.
In the field of education, there is collaboration between the University of Cape Verde and the Pennsylvania State University on finding sustainable fishing practices.
The yet-to-be constructed embassy is, in fact, expected to have large spaces that will aid students exploring educational opportunities in the US.
The US Department of Defence is also in the process for pairing Cape Verde’s military with a US National Guard.
This security collaboration is to improve the Island country’s public protection and response to threats of terrorism, amongst others.
Criticism
Critics have attempted to link the US government’s gesture to the controversies over the detention of Venezuelan Diplomat, Alex Saab in Cape Verde.
They believe that the investment is to persuade the country’s constitutional court rule that officials continue the extradition of the businessman to the US.
The US government wants to prosecute Alex Saab on charges of corruption, bribery, money laundering and fraud.
