Cabo Verde: From a Past of Isolation to a Present of Hope in Ribeira Dos Picos

It Always Starts With a Road

In a region where agriculture is one of the sectors that offer the most job opportunities, one of the priorities of the economic agenda of the Municipality "is the unblocking of all streams of Santa Cruz, in order to enhance and boost the economic activity, promote job creation and improve the quality of life of its population", says Carlos Alberto Silva, the Mayor of Santa Cruz.

The region's transformation towards development is happening as the Ribeira dos Picos road paving and upgrading works advance, bringing great expectations to the farmers in the valley. These are the winds of change that bring prospects for greater prosperity to the region's residents.

The Transport Sector Reform Project funded by the World Bank, through the International Development Association (IDA) for $46 million, has a component for road improvement and maintenance. It foresees, among other works across the islands of Santiago, Brava, and Santo Antão, the paving and upgrading of the Ribeira dos Picos road. The road renovation should be completed by early 2022. The 7.5 km, which used to be a dirt track prone to flooding, will now be made of bituminous concrete, an infrastructure that will bring the residents out of isolation.

"Roads contribute to development," explains Eneida Fernandes, World Bank's Representative in Cabo Verde. "By connecting people to the rest of Santiago Island, the new rehabilitation of the Ribeira dos Picos road will not only support the economic transformation of the valley but also strengthen social cohesion."