The African Development Bank hosted a successful Civil Society Open Day on Wednesday in Praia, Cape Verde, at the Governor Hall of the Ministry of Finance. The event convened government officials, representatives from the Bank's, and members of civil society, emphazing dialogue and partnerships for inclusive development.
"This Open Day with the African Development Bank reaffirms our shared commitment to inclusive development by exploring opportunities to establish a tripartite committee and dialogue framework involving civil society, the government, and the Bank. Our goal is to strengthen this three-way partnership, ensuring that civil society is actively engaged throughout all stages, design, preparation, implementation, and completion to promote development that is impactful and centered on the needs of people," stated Gilson Gomes Pina, the National Director for Planning of the Cape Verde Ministry of Finance, in welcoming attendees.
The event opened with remarks by Ms. Dirce Piloto Varela, Executive Director of the Cape Verde NGO Platform (PLATONG), setting the tone for a day of meaningful and productive engagement. "This Civil Society Open Day represents a significant milestone for Cape Verde's civil society. As PLATONG, we welcome this initiative by the African Development Bank as an important step toward a more structured and strategic collaboration. What we need is a strong partnership with the government and a clear strategic framework for engaging with development partners like the African Development Bank. Establishing a formal tripartite committee bringing together civil society, the government, and the Bank is essential to achieving this," she said.
Cape Verdean civil society organizations joined the Bank to comprehensively discuss the African Development Bank's country strategy and portfolio. Presentations on the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) priorities and the Country Portfolio for operations were delivered by Mr. Mateus Felisberto, the Bank's Country Economist in Cape Verde. Further insights into the Bank's engagement with civil society were provided by Mr. Traore Minemba, the Bank's Senior Civil Society Officer for West Africa, complemented by a video presentation on the Bank's Civil Society Engagement.
The discussions aimed to identify opportunities and interventions for the sustainable and inclusive development of Cape Verde, particularly focusing on engagement with civil society and areas of collaboration with the new Civil Society Engagement (CSE) Action Plan. Mrs. Toure's message resonated clearly throughout the event: "Through this Action Plan, the Bank reaffirms its commitment to working more closely with civil society and institutionalizing this collaboration to catalyze inclusive development on the continent."
The CSO Open Day underscored the vital role of civil society organizations in advocating for marginalized groups, promoting good governance, and fostering greater public sector accountability. Key recommendations raised during the event included:
- Enhanced capacity building for civil society organizations on the Bank's procurement processes
- Continued inclusion of local CSOs in the Bank's high-level platforms and discussions
- Creation of multi-stakeholder platforms to explore innovative business creation opportunities that benefit local communities.
This initiative strongly aligns with the Bank's Civil Society Engagement Action Plan 2024-2028, approved in 2024, Under Pillar 3 of the Action Plan, particular attention is given to strengthening country-level dialogue with CSOs. The organization of Civil Society Open Days in regional member countries (RMCs) is a key mechanism to operationalize this engagement at the country level. These events provide spaces for exchange, consultation and collaboration between the Bank, CSOs and other stakeholders, allowing us to better understand the Bank's priorities and interventions, discuss partnership opportunities, and receive feedback from CSOs on Bank-funded projects.
