Coop4Int is organized around the general objective to strengthen the mechanisms for the integration of immigrants into Cabo Verde society while reinforcing the contribution to the priorities defined in the cooperation framework between Portugal and Cabo Verde.

This objective is achieved by carrying out several activities oriented towards practical and accurate results, based on the exchange of experiences between both countries to improve the services provided, considering the following specific objectives/outcomes:

• To improve instruments and operating procedures regarding immigrant integration in Cabo Verde, by implementing four local units for immigrant support, a multichannel platform to support and strengthen public services available to immigrants, and developing instruments for local approaches;
• To develop capacity-building actions for Cabo Verdean authorities (at the national and local level), civil society organizations, and ACM key staff, in legal migration management and integration;
• To provide certified professional training to immigrants to promote their professional qualifications;
• To produce and disseminate knowledge about migration in Cabo Verde, by developing studies, awareness-raising campaigns, and setting up a Migration Observatory in the country.

Portugal and Cabo Verde share a long and expressive history in terms of migratory paths.

In 2021, Cabo Verdean nationality was Portugal's third most representative foreign nationality, corresponding to 4.9% of the foreign community living in the country. Numbers of this scale require solid and permanent cooperation, which in recent decades has united these two countries on the migration subject.

In turn, and despite having historically been a country of origin, recent migratory flows have considerably arrived in Cabo Verde and immigrants represent a number close to 3% of the total population.

For the integration and inclusion of migrants, Portugal follows a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, based on promoting human rights, which has been celebrated in various national plans and has been recognized several times internationally.

Aligned with the migration and asylum policies of the European Union, Portugal was also one of the first countries in the world to adopt a National Plan for the Implementation of the United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.

Cabo Verde shares this Portuguese idea, as it envisages integration and inclusion of migrants as a multi-sectoral matter, which requires the implementation of well-prepared public services, and articulation with various stakeholders, encompassing different aspects of society.

This shared perspective, combined with Cabo Verde's desire to implement a public response to support the integration of migrants with characteristics and functions similar to the Portuguese model, was, in fact, at the genesis of the Collaboration Protocol signed between both countries during the V Portugal-Cabo Verde Summit, in April 2019.

Meanwhile, the Migration Partnership Facility III (MPF III), implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), through an Agreement with the European Commission, which included the strengthening of the dialogue and cooperation of the European Union on migration and mobility subjects with the main partner countries, was the ideal opportunity for the realization of this shared will.

Thus, Coop4Int was created, making it possible to strengthen the mechanisms for including migrants in Cabo Verde society, optimizing the operationalization of the external dimension of the European Union's immigration policy, while at the same time consolidating cooperation between Portugal and Cabo Verde in this area.

This project is coordinated by the Portuguese High Commission for Migration (ACM).

To operationalize such intent, the ACM and the Cabo Verdean High Authority for Immigration (AAI) were joined by two leading higher education institutions in Portugal, ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, and IPB – Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. This synergy resulted in a robust, ambitious, sustained, and sustainable project, guided by the guarantee of respect for Human Rights and gender mainstreaming.

Coop4Int started on 1st December 2021 and will last for 37 months.

"Portugal e Cabo Verde iniciam projeto de cooperação para melhorar a integração dos imigrantes na sociedade cabo-verdiana", High Comission for Migration (ACM), 22/12/2021

"ACM realiza missão de monitorização técnica ao projeto Coop4Int em Cabo Verde", High Comission for Migration (ACM), 23/06/2022

"ACM conclui missão de monitorização técnica ao projeto Coop4Int em Lisboa", High Comission for Migration (ACM), 29/06/2022

"ACM recebe visita do Ministro das Comunidades de Cabo Verde", High Comission for Migration (ACM), 01/08/2022

"ACM recebe técnicos da Alta Autoridade para a Imigração de Cabo Verde no âmbito do projeto Coop4Int", High Comission for Migration (ACM), 21/11/2022

"Alta Autoridade para a Imigração de Cabo Verde visita ACM no âmbito do projeto Coop4Int", High Comission for Migration (ACM), 29/11/2022

"Coop4Int: Apresentação dos dados preliminares do 1.º Inquérito à População Estrangeira e Imigrante em Cabo Verde" High Comission for Migration (ACM), 22/12/2022

"Coop4Int: ACM recebe segunda visita de estudo da Alta Autoridade para a Imigração de Cabo Verde", Alto Comissariado para as Migrações (ACM), 27/03/2023

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