The European Union, through its representative in Cape Verde, Jospe Coll, will hold a public ceremony today, June 19, for the donation of solar equipment withtin the Framework of the Regional Solar Program. The ceremony will take place at 9:00 am at the National Water Resource Management Institute (INGRH) conference room and will be presided over Minister of Agriculture and the Environment Madalena Neves.

Phase II of the Regional Solar Program, which is being financed to the tune of 3 million euros by the European Union in partnership with the member countries of the CILSS (the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel), is aimed at fostering the use of photovoltaic energy in order to pump water and at rehabilitating existing installations on the islands of Santiago and Santo Antão. Another of the program's central objectives is to equip new wells with solar-powered pumps.

A total of 943,862 euros of the funds will be channeled into solar equipment. The funds will also be invested in 30 wells on the islands of Santiago and São Nicolau in order to contribute towards reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and improving the quality of the environment.

In addition to this investment, the digging of new wells and the construction and rehabilitation of hydraulic infrastructures complementary to the solar installations are also on the agenda.