Cape Verde President Jose Maria Neves has announced he will seek a second five-year term in the country’s November presidential election.
The West African island nation will hold its presidential vote on November 15.
Neves, 66, served as prime minister from 2001 to 2016 before becoming president in 2021.
He announced his candidacy at a press briefing in the capital, Praia.
“I will run for a new five-year term,” Neves said, adding that he wanted to use his experience to help build a “victorious and prosperous nation”.
Following his announcement, National Assembly president Janira Hopffer Almada will serve as interim president for two months.
Nine candidates have already announced plans to contest the presidency. They must submit the required documents to the Constitutional Court before Wednesday.
Presidential candidates are nominated by individuals from civil society. Political parties can support candidates, although the president cannot formally belong to a political party.
Neves has indicated that he is seeking backing from the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), which he previously led. He has also called for wider support.
Cape Verde, with a population of about 520,000, gained independence from Portugal in 1975.
The country is widely regarded as a model of democracy in Africa. Since its first free elections in 1991, it has avoided electoral violence despite political competition.
However, poverty and youth unemployment remain significant social challenges.
