An agreement to establish diplomatic relations was signed on 4 April 1994, but friendly relations between the former liberation movements of our respective countries go back at least to the founding of the PAIGC (now the PAICV) in 1956. South Africa’s cooperation with Cabo Verde is through the IBSA projects that were put forward to the IBSA commission by South Africa. In March 2013 South Africa initiated the process to draft an Agreement on the establishment of a mechanism for bilateral consultations between the two countries. The Agreement was signed in 2015 on the margins of the African Union Summit in Johannesburg. The Agreement focuses on cooperation in Tourism, Infrastructure, Transport, ICT, Renewable Energy, Financial Services and Education. It also included regular bilateral consultations at Ministerial level. Both countries have expressed interest in deepening relations beyond historical ties into economic cooperation.

Trade/Economic Relations

However, despite the absence of a bilateral mechanism, the trade relations between the Republic of South Africa and Cabo Verde are excellent with South African exports to Cabo Verde valued at R982 Million while Cabo Verde exports to South Africa are valued at R1 Million.  South Africa’s main exports to Cabo Verde are mainly Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof, Ships, boats and floating structures, Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television while Cabo Verde’s exports to South Africa are machinery, mechanical appliances, boilers; parts thereof, fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates