By Africa Bazaar Staff Writer | BUSINESS

Cabo Verde Airlines launched its first direct flight from Providence, Rhode Island to Praia on Tuesday, marking a new air link aimed at deepening commercial and people-to-people ties between the United States and Cabo Verde.

Speaking at the launch event, Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Richard Michaels said the new route would go beyond connecting communities in Providence and Praia, describing it as a gateway for broader economic engagement across the Atlantic. “This flight will do more than just bridge communities in Providence and Praia, it will also unlock new commercial opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic, fostering prosperity in our two nations,” he said.

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The U.S. hosts the largest Cabo Verdean population in the world, with the biggest diaspora communities concentrated across New England and the broader Northeast. Massachusetts has the largest Cabo Verdean community in the country, followed by Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Trade ties between the U.S. and the Portuguese-speaking African nation have also expanded. According to the U.S. Trade Representative office, the total U.S.-Cabo Verde trade in 2025 was $44.3 million in 2025, with U.S. exports accounting for $38.4 million of that number, representing a 213.3 percent increase from 2024.