Porto and Cabo Verde sign cooperation protocol in the areas of urban rehabilitation of historic centres

Cities worldwide face formidable urban challenges: housing, business stimulation, and urban rehabilitation are amongst them. These matters affect cities of all sizes, in all parts of the globe, and especially at a time when public budgets remain limited.

Rui Moreira, Mayor of Porto visited Cabo Verde, by invitation of the Minister of Infrastructure, Eunice Silva, to strengthen links of cooperation and mutual understanding in the areas of urban rehabilitation of historic centres.

The Mayor of Porto was accompanied by his councillors for Urbanism and Public Space and Patrimony, Pedro Baganha, and councillor for Housing, Social Cohesion and Education, Fernando Paulo.

They visited the islands of Fogo, S. Nicolau, Santiago and S. Vicente, where they were welcomed by government officials and visited the historic centres.

Eunice Silva, Cabo Verdean minister of Infrastructure, invited Rui Moreira to jointly establish a plan towards the city rehabilitation, namely old and derelict buildings: "we thought we needed technical support in these areas; that is why we have invited Mayor Rui Moreira and his team to visit Cabo Verde", the minister affirmed.

"The built city of S. Filipe is really pleasing, with countless historic traces, and in fact, the work needs to be done starting from the public domain; that was how we started, because if the public space is not rehabilitated, the private sector won't invest and the private sector is very important when it comes to rehabilitation efforts. If we can share our best practices, this is a god thing, which is also interesting for us, naturally", Mayor of Porto stated to TCV News.

Following the visit to Fogo Island, Rui Moreira and his delegation pursed to visiting S. Nicolau and then S. Vicente, where they were welcomed by the local officials and attended a solemn ceremony to honour Rui Moreira and the delegation of Porto, highlighting the friendship and the twinning relationship between Mindelo and Porto, which is in place for 28 years now.

Sports, culture, education, sewage and urbanism are key areas for the cooperation protocol signed between the city of Porto and the Cabo Verdean government.

This was the first time that Rui Moreira visited S. Vicente as Mayor of Porto; the mayor stressed that he felt "at home" with the warm welcoming. Rui Moreira also stated that "culture is the priority", but "we are available for any other areas S. Vicente deems relevant. Do challenge us, please! Most importantly, we are here to learn more about Cabo Verde and to learn from you, and to share our experience, as well", Mayor Rui Moreira concluded.

During this visit to Cabo Verde, Rui Moreira was received by the Head of the Cabo Verdean Government, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, in Praia, in the island of Santiago. On that occasion, Rui Moreira shared how impressed he had been with what he has seen when visiting the historic centres of the numerous Cabo Verdean islands.