January 21 marks three years since we took over as Board of Directors (BOD) of CERMI. As we look back over this period, our first term as BOD, and start out on our second term, it is a good time to take stock of the activities we have developed and highlight the extremely positive results achieved by our institution. Let me summarize below by providing an overview of CERMI’s areas of activity:

VOCATINAL TRAINING FOR YOUTH AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR TECHNICIANS AND BUSINESSES:To understand the true progress made by our institution, suffice to say that until 2016 CERMI had carried out 12 vocational and continuing professional trainings. Over the past three years, however, in the period from 2017 to 2019 we carried out 53 trainings. The number of young people enrolled and benefitting from vocational training increased from 85 in 2016 to 790 in the last three years. In terms of continuing training, the number of technicians trained went from 166 by end of 2016, to 440 in the period from 2017 to 2019. The number of certified young professionals, who completed their vocational training, went from zero in 2016, to 231 in the period between 2017 and 2019.

In terms of training courses, CERMI offered just 5 courses (level 5 and 4) up until 2016, available in the morning and afternoon. Over the past 3 years, we have launched more than 20 courses (PT "Professional Training" and PQ "Professional Qualification"), and have introduced training programs for levels 2 and 3, as well as providing evening classes, as a new feature, maximizing CERMI’s capacity and taking full advantage of the facilities and excellent conditions provided.

The number of scholarships awarded has increased exponentially, from 85 to 790, with an almost 100% coverage for young professionals at CERMI. All 22 municipalities in the country have already benefited from these opportunities, and in terms of scholarships for youths coming from other islands, it should be noted that the amount allocated covers accommodation, food and travel expenses. To give a better understanding, CERMI allocated 53,161,371 CVE worth of scholarships between 2018 and 2019. I would like to highlight CERMI's inclusion policy, where we have helped many youths with special needs over the past three years, by signing protocols with organizations including the Paralympic Committee, ICCA, Colmeia, and Citi Habitat.

CERMI's work is also evident when looking at professional internships. Under the PEPE (Professional and Business Internship Program), the number of beneficiaries grew from zero in 2016 to 36 by the end of 2019.

In terms of internationalization and reinforcement of CERMI's regional positioning, around 140 foreign technicians from 15 ECOWAS countries plus Mauritania, were trained in English and French and in various technologies related to Renewable Energy and Industrial Maintenance. Our activities with our fellow PALOP countries are also worth emphasizing, with CERMI welcoming 30 young people from São Tomé and Príncipe, who completed their training and are today in internship placements or working.

 

PROMOTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, ELECTRIC MOBILITY AND ENERGY TRANSITION: In the past three years, we have developed several other activities within the framework of our mission and our statutory and institutional obligations.

For instance, providing technical assistance for the POSER (Promotion of Rural Socioeconomic Opportunities) program, of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment. Through our expertise and capacity to develop and pilot innovative projects, we effectively contribute to the implementation of agriculture micro-production on 7 of our 10 islands, equipping several waterholes with solar pumps and training local beneficiaries. To date, there are a total of 38 waterholes with an electricity generation capacity of over 200 kWp;

We also provided technical assistance to many companies and public institutions by installing micro-production systems using photovoltaic solar energy in buildings and production units, representing a production capacity of more than 400 kWp of power within the projects we piloted with an already significant client portfolio;

By signing a contract with ELECTRA (National Electricity and Water Company), CERMI is also in charge of maintaining the Palmarejo Solar Photovoltaic Plant, which is the largest in the country. Of note, this infrastructure has been permanently up-graded, having increased its production capacity from 2,881,796 kWh in 2017, to 5,965,235 kWh in 2019. Therefore, our responsibility has in turn increased exponentially, and CERMI has successfully managed to continue this service;

CERMI is also the Technical and Institutional partner of the 1st Electric Mobility Pilot Project, which allowed the acquisition of the first 7 electric cars in the country. One vehicle has been assigned to our own institution, and we further monitor the installation of charging stations for such vehicles (The 1st charging station was set up at CERMI’s facilities);

 

ARRANGEMENT OF THE LEGAL, INSTITUTIONAL AND TECHNICAL FRAMEWORK FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTORS:

Responding to the need for trained technicians in the renewable energy sector and with the support of the Luxembourg Cooperation, we certified the first 40 national micro-production inspectors in 2019, to perform their duties on all islands, assigned by the Department of Energy Services. They will guarantee on site the interconnection of micro-production systems of renewable energies belonging to private entities and with the electric grid, allowing the injection of surplus production into the public grid;

Furthermore, towards the end of our first term, we piloted a project to define our strategy, to draft and promote the legal and institutional framework in order to create a solar thermal energy market, a project that was financed by the Spanish Development Cooperation.

 

STRUCTURAL COOPERATION PROJECTS: CERMI has attracted important international partners and consequently manages structural projects.

In this context, we highlight the partnership project between CERMI and the Luxembourg Center of Competence, with a value of 4 million euros (financed by the governments of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Cabo Verde), which resulted in the creation and set up of the Cabo Verde Center of Competence (CDC 3C, SA), a private-sector business entity that is in the process of addressing the local market.

CERMI's Regional Anchor Strengthening Project, is a 2-million-euro project. It is financed by the European Union, implemented by the Luxembourg agency LuxDev and carried out by CERMI. It aims to support CERMI in becoming a regional center of excellence in West Africa, with a specialized train-the-trainer package for the 15 ECOWAS countries and Mauritania;

Trilateral Project CV-STP-LUX, worth 200 thousand euros, allowed for the training of 30 young technicians from São Tomé and Príncipe in the field of Renewable Energy (RE) and Refrigeration. All of these young people have since returned to their home country and have taken up good positions in the labor market.

 

GOVERNMENT RESOURCE MOBILIZATION AND PAYMENT OF DEBT TO SUPPLIERS: The strict management model that we have implemented over the past three years, and the management measures adopted, have allowed CERMI to pay a large part of its previously accumulated debts with suppliers and the State, namely to Electra, FPEF and the Treasury. Altogether, such debts amounted to 27 million escudos (27,768,419 CVE), of which approximately 94% have already been repaid.

The substantial increase in funds transferred by the Government through the Treasury was essential to ensure proper management of CERMI and to fulfil its mission. We went from around a million escudos (986,000 CVE) per year in 2016, to a total of more than 127 million escudos (127,841,245 CVE) during the following 3 years (2017 to 2019), which gives an average transfer per year of 42,613.748 CVE, and which results in a 42-fold increase (in relation to the amount of 2016).

This concludes our financial overview.

To close, I wish to sincerely thank everyone, my colleagues on the Board of Directors, Luís de Pina and Gilson Correia, our department and office coordinators and all CERMI workers and collaborators. This recognition extends to those in charge of the CVE/881 and CVE/085 projects as well as their collaborators, to our strategic partner at 3C, the Luxembourg Center of Competence (CdC GTB), to the Directors and staff of 3C, to the Government of Cabo Verde and to all cooperation partners, in particular to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the European Union.

 

Thank you very much!

 

Praia, 1st February 2020

The Board of Directors