Observers of African politics are often intrigued by Cabo Verde’s remarkable stability and economic progress since the country transitioned to multiparty democracy in 1991. The island nation, located in the Atlantic Ocean 340 miles off the coast of Senegal, is consistently rated as “free” by Freedom House. Its elections have always been transparent and credible, and it has regularly experienced smooth transfers of executive power after every poll. Transparency International ranks Cabo Verde second only to the Seychelles in fighting corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa. Amidst recent democratic backsliding across Africa, Cabo Verde stands tall as a beacon of democratic stability and effective governance. 

The international conference on “Freedom, Democracy, and Good Governance, a View from Cabo Verde,” organized by the Government of Cabo Verde on April 8 and 9, 2024, provided an opportunity for the country to lift the veil on its democratic success, and share best practices and lessons learned. Participants learned about Cabo Verde’s successful efforts in leveraging its attachment to freedoms, fundamental human rights and inclusive social and economic development as strategic assets to compensate for its island nation status and its small domestic market.

The conference brought together nearly 300 participants from five continents, including heads of government, diplomats, international experts and civil society leaders. Participants engaged with expert panelists on democratic governance, religious freedom, information integrity, and public debt management. While sitting on the opening panel of the conference on "Democracy and the Rule of Law," NDI Senior Associate for Africa Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh stated that "the ultimate goal for Africans is a democratic form of government that gives voice to citizens and ensures their well-being is being improved on a daily basis." He acknowledged Cabo Verde as a shining example of a country that is succeeding at making democracy deliver benefits to its citizens. 

Participants also included a select number of high school students from the island of Sal. Their enthusiastic participation served as a timely reminder about the importance of including youth and other marginalized groups in the democratic process. They highlighted the need to ensure that democratic institutions and processes are relevant and responsive to the needs and aspirations of all segments of society, including future generations.  

Building on the conference, NDI organized a fireside chat with former Cabo Verdean President Jorge Carlos Fonseca, who shared his thoughts on the key factors that have contributed thus far to the country's consolidation of its democracy. He listed things such as accountable governance, respect for constitutionalism and openness to reform as key to the country's democratic success. He also acknowledged that more still needs to be done, stating emphatically: “We need to build a more solid civil society that can control and criticize [those in power].” The conversation highlighted the former president's continued active contributions since leaving office in academia and as a speaker at national and international fora. President Fonseca underscored that “there is a rich life after the statehouse,” and former heads of state have an important role to play as champions for democratic norms and constitutionalism. The fireside chat was programmed under NDI's Constitutional Term Limits Initiative, a regional program that promotes respect for constitutionalism and presidential term limits across Africa.

To reinforce the main theme of the fireside chat, NDI hosted a closing panel discussion to spotlight the actions of three regional African civil society partners, the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers (ANCL), AfricTivistes, and Tournons la Page (Let’s turn the Page). The three organizations are founding members of the Term Limits Initiative Community of Practice – a framework for coordination and collaboration among African civil society to advance respect for constitutional norms. The panel allowed Cabo Verdean civil society to engage with and learn from peers from other countries on the continent. Panelists detailed how their organizations have used complementary strategies to mobilize citizen support for constitutionalism across Africa, respectively focusing on constitutional research and publication, social media activism, and high-level advocacy campaigns.  

During the vibrant interactive session that followed the panelists’ presentations,  one of the high school students in attendance asked about what panelists thought the state of Cabo Verde’s democracy would be in 20 years.The panelists responded by emphasizing the importance of the continued engagement by Cabo Verdean youth to ensure that in a generation’s time, Cabo Verde will have “the best democracy you can create.” 

Overall, the international conference allowed Cabo Verde to showcase its democratic progress and the richness of its experience and highlight the tangible benefits of democratic governance to citizens and the country’s reputation. Drawing thematic ties back to the Biden Administration's Democracy Summits in 2021 and 2023, the conference underscored how Cabo Verde has leveraged the assets of good governance and strong democratic institutions to achieve peace and inclusive development. Through NDI’s participation, the Institute strengthened its strategic partnership with the Government of Cabo Verde as Prime Minister Correia e Silva reaffirmed his commitment and that of his administration to collaborate with the Institute in promoting respect for constitutionalism and the rule of law across West Africa. 

Authors: James Stewart, Senior Program Manager, Central and West Africa team and Sophia Moestrup, Deputy Director, Central and West Africa team

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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.