Portugal will support São Tomé e Príncipe’s public administration

Portugal will support São Tomé e Príncipe by sending experts for technical assistance in the field of Finance, Social Security, and Public Administration. The announcement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, during an official visit to the country.

"We will be working on a new programme to assist the São Tomé public administration to be implemented in these following months. It is a strict connection between both countries that will bring qualified people to São Tomé e Príncipe to offer assistance in several fields, namely Finance and Social Security", João Gomes Cravinho claimed. 

The Portuguese Minister, who had several working meetings with his counterpart from São Tomé, Alberto Pereira, added that there are likewise "opportunities for working together in fields such as agriculture or women empowerment, given the creation of a new Ministry of Women in São Tomé".

The two Ministers also spoke about the Strategic Cooperation Programme, underlining that there is "a good implementation" of this programme, which is in force until 2025: 

"The political relations are very good, the cooperation is working very well, whether under the cooperation programme signed between Portugal and São Tomé that is being properly implemented, whether for the future ambitions", João Gomes Cravinho stated.

Political encounters and Portuguese cooperation

In addition to the meetings with his counterpart, the Portuguese Minister met with Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada and President Carlos Vila Nova. 

After making 15 million euros available to the authorities in São Tomé with the aim of contributing to educaiton, health, food security and strengthening democracy and the rule of law in the country, the trip was also an opportunity to get to know the perspectives São Tomé has on this. 

These meetings also allowed for continuation of the work to consolidate and deepen the ties of friendship and cooperation between both countries, as well as to have a preview of the presidency of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) that São Tomé e Príncipe will take over this year.

"Progress in all fields of cooperation"

During this trip, the Portuguese Minister signalled the huge "progress in all fields of cooperation" with São Tomé e Príncipe in the "greatly positive" balance of these just over two days of his official visit. 

On the last day of the programme, the Portuguese head of diplomacy took the chance to get to know the Lembá Integrated Development project, carried out in the city of Neves, Lembá district, which offers all the levels of teaching, employment, medical care and assistance to the elderly. This is an example of the impact Portuguese cooperation has on the life of thousands of people from São Tomé that encompasses several social fields.  

In the city of São Tomé, João Gomes Cravinho and the São Tomé Minister of Health Célsio Junqueira, visited the Hospital Dr. Ayres de Menezes, where medication was given out under the Health for All project implemented by the Camões Institute for Cooperation and Language. The Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that the Portuguese cooperation "has already mobilised 15 million euros for this structural support in São Tomé e Príncipe".