The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Spatial planning (MAHOT) and other partners organized a gala evening entitled “The Green Project Awards” on Saturday 10^th May, at the National Assembly of Praia, Cape Verde. The event was aimed  to alert and educate the Cape Verdean society for environmental fragility and build a path to a sustainable future.

The initiative, launched last year with the aim of rewarding individuals or groups that have submitted projects related to environmental protection, has realized  good practices by awarding five environmentally friendly projects in the categories of Natural Resources Management and Conservation, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Tourism and Agriculture, New Technologies – Research, Cooperation and Mobilization Initiatives. In addition, a separate award was created for schools dubbed: Award of Special Recognition for schools.

The event which was purely invitation was attended by members of the government of Cape Verde, individuals from all walks of life and some very important institutions

The Minister of Environment, Housing and Territorial Planning, Mr. Antero Veiga, in his speech emphasized  that the environment is currently considered one of the strategic pillars of the development of Cape Verde and a "transverse axis of governance" in the context of change and  schedule transformation. "In fact, for a small island territory, environmental practices constitute a substantive concern."

The Prime Minister, Dr. José Maria Neves, who was also present at the event, declaimed a poem by António Nunes and mentioned Kaka Barbosa, two Cape Verdean poets, alluding to the progress that can be checked on the environment.

Mr. Mahama Kappiah, the ECREEE Executive Director, was invited to deliver the award category, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, which was accredited to Cabeólica SA with the Wind Energy Project.