François Bausch on a working trip to Cabo Verde

Following the bilateral meeting, François Bausch plus Janine Lélis visited the Interagency Centre for Ocean going Security Operations (COSMAR — centro inter-agências de operações de segurança marítima). In 2018, the Cape Verdean Ministry of Defence and the Luxembourg Directorate of Defence signed the “Bilateral Defence Cooperation Project between Cabo Verde and Luxembourg”, in which Luxembourg committed to provide Cabo Verde with €400, 000 in funding over the time period 2018-2023, of which €100, 1000 will be used to equip COSMAR. This inter-agency centre now ensures the collection of info based on radar and satellite images, as well as the planning and execution of operations regarding any illegal activity within waters under national legislation, in particular drug trafficking. At the port of Porto Grande in São Vicente, François Bausch visited the particular coastguard patrol boat Guardião . The duchy of luxembourg has decided to finance specialized assistance for the maintenance of the vessel. The implementation of this project is scheduled to take place in the year 2023. On 19 January 2023, François Bausch visited the island of Vem a ser Vicente to visit the Coast Guard Command. As part of the bilateral defence cooperation project and also a trilateral memorandum of understanding between Cabo Verde, Spain and Luxembourg, the The duchy of luxembourg Directorate of Defence provides financed, among other things, the training associated with four sergeants from the Cabo Verde Coast Guard within Portugal. In 2021, the Directorate of Defence offers decided to use the remaining €400, 000 of the bilateral assistance project to finance the acquisition of technical and IT devices to improve the operational efficiency, response capacity and management organisation of the Coast Guard. “I believe that this cooperation between Cabo Verde plus Luxembourg is a real success”, said François Bausch during a press conference after the visit from the Command. On 18 January 2023, François Bausch was obtained with military honours by his counterpart, the Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) of State, Minister associated with Defence and Territorial Cohesion, Janine Lélis. During a functioning meeting at the Government Palace, the two ministers exchanged sights on the challenges and means of defence of Cabo Verde, in particular with regard to maritime safety and reconnaissance and intervention capabilities, as well as on defence assistance between Cabo Verde and Luxembourg. After a presentation associated with Luxembourg’s future earth observation satellite LUXEOSys, François Bausch suggested to his equal that Luxembourg could make these capabilities available to Cabo Verde in the future. “This capacity could bring added value to the coastguard. It would be a continuation of our joint work to strengthen the Coast Safeguard of Cabo Verde, ” said François Bausch, adding: “Luxembourg and Cabo Verde have a historical link plus long-standing relations in the fields of development cooperation, diplomacy and defence. Luxembourg Defence is keen to play the part and continue this particular fruitful cooperation”. At the invitation of the Minister of State, Minister of Defence and Territorial Cohesion, Janine Lélis, François Bausch attended a bilateral lunch time in the presence of the Excellent Minister, Ulisses Correia electronic Silva, and the Minister intended for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation plus Regional Integration, Rui Figueiredo Soares. In the evening, in conclusion the second day and the functioning visit, Minister of Defence François Bausch attended a dinner hosted by the Mouthpiece Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Entrepreneurship and Digital Economy, Olavo Correia. François Bausch and the Luxembourg abordnung then visited the International Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) in Zone G (Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Senegal), a project currently being implemented by the Cape Verdean authorities and supported by a number of partners. As soon as operational, the MMCC, based in Praia, will provide an information exchange and coordination network as being a response mechanism to jointly address insecurity in the Gulf of mexico of Guinea region. Back in Praia, François Bausch was received in audience by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Cabo Verde, José Maria Pereira Neves. These thanked François Bausch for that good bilateral cooperation in the field of defence, in particular with regard to ocean going capacity building. François Bausch and the President of Cabo Verde also exchanged sights on the security situation in the Sahel. Press release by the Directorate associated with Defence
This was followed by a visit to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) in Mindelo, Sao Vicente, which is responsible for coordinating all search and rescue operations, both ocean going and aerial, in the region beneath the responsibility of Cabo Verde. François Bausch, in his capacity since Minister for Mobility plus Public Works, also had a meeting with the Minister associated with Tourism and Transport, Carlos Santos, at the Ministry associated with Foreign Affairs, Cooperation plus Regional Integration. The two ministers discussed current transport problems and the good relations that will currently exist between the two countries.

Source