Foreign relations of São Tomé and Príncipe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Until independence in 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe had few ties abroad except those that passed through Portugal. Following independence, the new government sought to expand its diplomatic relationships. A common language, tradition, and colonial legacy have led to close collaboration between São Tomé and other ex-Portuguese colonies in Africa, particularly Angola. São Toméan relations with other African countries in the region, such as Gabon and the Republic of the Congo, are also good. In December 2000, São Tomé signed the African Union treaty; it was later ratified by the National Assembly.

The São Toméan government has generally maintained a foreign policy based on nonalignment and cooperation with any country willing to assist in its economic development. In recent years, it has also increasingly emphasized ties to the United States and western Europe.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which São Tomé and Príncipe maintains diplomatic relations with:

More information #, Country ...
# Country Date
1 China 12 July 1975[1]
2 Germany 12 July 1975[2]
3 Portugal 12 July 1975[3]
4 Romania 12 July 1975[4]
5 Cameroon 14 July 1975[5]
6 Japan 22 July 1975[6]
7 France 28 July 1975[7]
8 North Korea 9 August 1975[8]
9 Russia 9 August 1975[9]
10 United States 10 October 1975[10]
11 Czech Republic 22 October 1975[11]
12 Mongolia 22 October 1975[12]
13 Argentina 5 November 1975[13]
14 Nigeria 30 December 1975[14]
15 Brazil 31 December 1975[15]
16 Gabon 1975[5]
17 India 1975[16]
18 Egypt March 1976[17]
19 Cuba 10 April 1976[18]
20 Hungary 2 November 1976[19]
21 Vietnam 6 November 1976[20]
22 Libya March 1977[21][22]
23 Sweden 1977[23]
24 Angola 19 February 1978[24]
25 Senegal April 1978[25]
26 Poland 20 November 1978[26]
27 Canada 13 December 1978[27]
28 Morocco 1978[28]
29 Algeria 7 January 1979[29]
30 Serbia 2 February 1979[30]
31 Finland 1 March 1979[30]
32 Albania 20 November 1979[31]
33 Grenada 23 November 1979[30]
34 United Kingdom 3 December 1979[32]
35 Bulgaria 25 December 1979[30]
36 Kuwait 9 January 1980[30]
37 Jamaica 29 February 1980[30]
38 Equatorial Guinea 1981[33]
39 Mozambique 1981[34]
40 Turkey 1981[35]
41 Spain 26 February 1982[36]
— Holy See 21 December 1984[37]
42  Switzerland 28 February 1985[38]
43 Iran November 1985[39]
44 Greece 24 April 1986[30]
45 Seychelles 22 October 1986[30]
46 Belgium 1986[40]
47 Tunisia 1986[41]
48 Thailand 7 May 1987[42]
49 Bolivia 15 May 1987[30]
50 Zambia 31 August 1987[43]
51 Colombia 12 August 1988[30]
52 South Korea 20 August 1988[44]
53 Italy 24 December 1988[45]
54 Peru 4 May 1989[30]
55 Chile 5 May 1989[46]
— State of Palestine 1989[47]
56 Mexico 10 September 1990[30]
57 Uruguay 26 September 1990[48]
58 Slovakia 2 April 1993[49]
59 Austria 3 May 1993[30]
60 Croatia 23 May 1993[50]
61 Israel 16 November 1993[51]
62 South Africa 10 May 1994[52]
63 Latvia 26 July 1994[53]
64 Singapore 18 August 1997[54]
65 Oman 15 September 1997[30]
66 United Arab Emirates 24 October 1997[30]
67 Bahrain 27 October 1997[55]
— Sovereign Military Order of Malta 1997[56]
68 Ukraine 16 April 1998[30]
69 North Macedonia 11 July 2000[30]
70 Cyprus 7 November 2000[30]
71 Philippines 8 November 2000[30]
72 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8 May 2001[30]
73 Belarus 11 December 2001[30]
74 Timor-Leste 20 May 2002[57]
75 Mauritius 28 February 2003[30]
76 Lithuania 8 July 2003[30]
77 Norway 6 August 2004[58]
78 Venezuela 19 August 2006[59]
79 Iceland 24 September 2007[30]
80 Cape Verde 10 November 2008[60]
81 Estonia 20 May 2009[61]
82 Andorra 27 May 2009[62]
83 Australia 8 July 2009[30]
84 Indonesia 27 September 2011[63]
85 Mauritania 4 August 2013[64]
86 Luxembourg 10 April 2014[65]
87 Slovenia 10 April 2014[30]
88 Georgia 12 September 2014[66]
89 Kazakhstan 20 November 2014[30]
90 Malaysia 9 April 2015[67]
91 Rwanda 11 January 2017[68]
92 Sudan 20 April 2018[69]
93 Namibia 14 September 2018[70]
94 Dominican Republic 24 September 2018[71]
95 Malta 24 September 2018[30]
96 Tajikistan 24 September 2018[30]
97 Azerbaijan 25 September 2018[30]
98 Saint Kitts and Nevis 28 September 2018[30]
99 Burkina Faso 20 February 2019[72]
100 Benin 20 February 2019[73]
101 Denmark 20 February 2019[73]
102 Qatar 4 May 2021[74]
103 Chad 3 March 2022[75]
104 Ivory Coast 3 March 2022[75]
105 Maldives 5 April 2022[30]
106 Zimbabwe 15 June 2022[76]
107 Saudi Arabia 7 June 2023[77]
108 Burundi 13 June 2023[78]
109 Ghana 13 June 2023[78]
110 Paraguay 13 July 2023[30]
111 Mali 8 December 2023[79]
112 Dominica 23 September 2025[30]
113 Kyrgyzstan 26 September 2025[80]
114 San Marino 26 September 2025[81]
115 Turkmenistan 11 December 2025[82]
116 Republic of the Congo Unknown[83]
117 Guinea Unknown[84]
118 Guinea-Bissau Unknown[85]
119 Kenya Unknown[86]
120 Netherlands Unknown[87]
121 Nicaragua Unknown[88]
122 Pakistan Unknown[89]
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Bilateral relations

More information Country, Formal relations began ...
Country Formal relations began Notes
Angola19 February 1978Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 February 1978[24]
  • Angola has an embassy in São Tomé.
  • São Tomé and Príncipe has an embassy in Luanda.
Australia8 July 2009Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 July 2009[90]
  • Australia is represented in São Tomé and Príncipe from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.[91]
  • São Tomé and Príncipe is represented in Australia by from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.[91]
Brazil12 July 1975See Brazil–São Tomé and Príncipe relations

Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1975.[92] Both countries are full members of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries.

  • Brazil has an embassy in São Tomé.
  • São Tomé and Príncipe is accredited to Brazil from its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City, United States.
Cape Verde10 November 2008
  • Cape Verde has an embassy in São Tomé.
  • São Tomé and Príncipe maintains an embassy in Praia.[93]
China12 July 1975, severed diplomatic relations 6 May 1997, Restored 26 December 2016[1]See China–São Tomé and Príncipe relations

Prior to independence, the People's Republic of China (PRC) supported the country's indigenous movement for independence against the Portuguese Empire and the relationship continued after independence. Official diplomatic relation was established with the PRC upon independence on 12 July 1975. In 1975 and 1983, the country's first president, Manuel Pinto da Costa, visited the PRC. On 6 May 1997, São Tomé and Príncipe switched diplomatic relation from PRC to Republic of China (ROC).[94] On 15 November 2013, an unofficial PRC trade mission office was established in São Tomé and Príncipe to facilitate the non-political commercial ties with the PRC.[95] However, in June 2014, President Manuel Pinto da Costa made a private visit to Shanghai in Mainland China for a non-political mission.[96]

São Tomé and Príncipe had been speaking at the United Nations General Assembly for ROC meaningful participation in international organizations. While on the other side, ROC has provided various aids to the country for the development in their infrastructure and social system.[97]

São Tomé and Príncipe severed relations with ROC on 20 December 2016, leaving Burkina Faso and Swaziland as the only two remaining African nations retaining formal relations with the ROC,[98] when the ROC government reportedly turned down a São Toméan request for $210 million in financial assistance.[99] Diplomatic relations between PRC and São Tomé and Príncipe resumed on 26 December 2016.[100]

EgyptMarch 1976
  • Egypt is represented in São Tomé and Príncipe by its embassy in Luanda, Angola.[101]
  • Both countries are full members of the African Union.
Gabon1975
  • Gabon has an embassy in São Tomé.
  • São Tomé and Príncipe has an embassy in Libreville.[102]
India14 August 1975See India–São Tomé and Príncipe relations
  • India has an embassy in São Tomé.[103]
  • São Tomé and Príncipe has an honorary consulate in New Delhi.
Mozambique1981[34]
  • Mozambique is accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe from its embassy in Luanda, Angola and maintains an honorary consulate in São Tomé.
  • São Tomé and Príncipe is accredited to Mozambique from its embassy in Luanda, Angola and maintains an honorary consulate in Maputo.[104]
Portugal12 July 1975See Portugal–São Tomé and Príncipe relations

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 July 1975.[3]

  • Portugal has an embassy in São Tomé.
  • São Tomé and Príncipe has an embassy in Lisbon.
Serbia2 February 1979
  • Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 February 1979[105]
  • Both countries have a number of bilateral agreements.[106]
South Korea20 August 1988

Establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and São Tomé and Príncipe was August 20, 1988.[44] In 2001 Bilateral Trade were Exports $74,479 Imports $40,381.[107]

Turkey12 July 1975[108]
United States12 July 1975See São Tomé and Príncipe–United States relations

With the development of São Tomé's oil reserves, American diplomatic and military relations are becoming closer. In February 2005, the US Navy's USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) entered West African waters near São Tomé to provide security assistance and training to the local security services.

  • São Tomé and Príncipe is accredited to the United States from its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City.
  • United States is accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe from its embassy in Luanda, Angola.[110]
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See also

References

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