Cape Verde Leaders Visit China for Smart City Training
A high-level delegation of 36 Cape Verdean officials, including mayors and municipal assembly presidents, is heading to China this week for a two-week intensive seminar focused on the future of urban management. The mission, running from September 3 to 17, aims to bridge the gap between traditional governance and the high-tech demands of “smart cities.”
Strengthening Municipal Leadership
Fábio Vieira, president of the National Association of Cape Verdean Municipalities (ANMCV), emphasized that the trip is a calculated move to modernize local government. “This is not an isolated mission; it is part of a broader strategy to train and qualify municipal officials to better meet the expectations of their citizens,” Vieira told Rádio de Cabo Verde (RCV).
The delegation is not limited to political leaders; it also includes experts from the National Civil Protection Service and academic representatives from the University of Cape Verde. This multi-sectoral approach ensures that technological insights can be applied to both public safety and urban planning.
Learning from the Global Leader in Modernization
Organized by the ANMCV in partnership with the Chinese government, the seminar in Beijing will immerse Cape Verdean leaders in the technological solutions driving China’s public administration. Vieira noted that China’s “extraordinary work” in modernizing its infrastructure offers a blueprint for Cape Verde.
“We want to share and take advantage of innovative models,” Vieira stated. “Our goal is to identify solutions that can be successfully adapted to the Cape Verdean reality.”
Building Resilient, Smart Cities
The agenda focuses heavily on the “Smart City” concept—using data and technology to improve city services—and the urgent need for climate change adaptation. As island nations face unique environmental threats, the delegation will study how Chinese municipalities use technology to respond to extreme weather and environmental shifts.
“We will be debating municipal governance in all its transversality,” Vieira explained, advocating for the need to prepare Cape Verdean municipalities “for new times.”
A Golden Anniversary of Cooperation
This mission coincides with a major milestone: the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Cape Verde. The Cape Verdean government has long viewed China as a “strategic and reliable partner,” and this latest exchange signals a deepening of bilateral cooperation that now extends from infrastructure to digital governance.
Image: Pexels – Blackcurrant Great
