Remarks for Inpharma Disinfectant Production Unit Opening
9:00 a.m., December 14, 2021, Inpharma headquarters
Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva,
Minister of Industry, Trade, and Energy,
President of the Inpharma Board of Directors, CEO and other Inpharma staff,
Distinguished invitees,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honor to join you on this auspicious occasion and to offer my congratulations to Inpharma on the opening of this important new production facility. Inpharma is the first grant recipient under a $1.5 million U.S.-funded program in Cabo Verde to mitigate the private sector impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program aims in particular to support companies that employ women and youth.
On behalf of the United States government, I am therefore very pleased that our $220,000 grant will contribute to realization of the Inpharma project opening today. The project will enable Inpharma to increase production capacity in response to pandemic-related demand for disinfectant while also adding 10 percent to its workforce, a majority of which are women.
The United States government is a proud partner of Cabo Verde in efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 and support recovery from the pandemic. The recent arrival of 200,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine from the United States will make possible the vaccination of Cabo Verdean children aged 12 to 17.
The opening of the new Inpharma production today adds a new dimension to our partnership in this area.
Thank you and best wishes!