The government of Cape Verde and the French airport management group Vinci Airports signed a concession agreement for the four international airports for the next 40 years, Vinci Group announced last month.
Ulisses Correia e Silva (Cape Verdean prime minister) and Nicolas Notebaert (Chief Executive Officer of VINCI Concessions and President of VINCI Airports) signed the concession contract for the seven airports in the Cape Verde archipelago.
The contract covers four international airports including the capital city Praia, Sal, SĂŁo Vicente and Boa Vista and three domestic airports SĂŁo Nicolau, SĂŁo Filipe and Maio.
Over 40 years, VINCI Airports and its Portuguese subsidiary ANA (owning, respectively, 70% and 30% stakes in the concession company) will be responsible for financing, operating, maintaining, extending and upgrading the airports.
The financial arrangements for the project are expected to be finalised by mid-2023 when the new concession company will begin operating the airports.
As a result of the country’s strong economic growth, stable political environment and thriving tourism sector, air traffic rose by an average of 5.6% each year between 2010 and 2019, with passenger numbers reaching 2.8 million. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic impacting most tourist destinations worldwide, air traffic reached 80% of 2019 levels in the second quarter of 2022.
VINCI Airports aims to support Cape Verde’s tourism strategy through a project tailored to suit each airport (factoring in different passenger segments and island-specific considerations). The archipelago’s cultural identity will be reflected in the architecture and customer experiences at the airports.
Furthermore, VINCI Airports will implement its environmental action plan, which involves developing solar and wind power.
This opportunity in Cape Verde will enable VINCI Airports to build on ANA’s 10 years of experience as a concession holder serving 10 Portuguese airports.
According to Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of VINCI Concessions and President of VINCI Airports, “We are very proud to announce this partnership with the Republic of Cape Verde. Our shared vision is to boost the country’s tourism industry through a long-term growth strategy. Improving the airports’ links and performance will have a positive impact on the country. VINCI Airports is deeply committed to helping the Cape Verde archipelago realise its full potential throughout this long-term partnership.”
Vinci Airports network includes eight airports in Brazil, ten in Portugal and seven in Cape Verde.
