On Friday in Lisbon, the Portuguese government said that Portugal will continue to support Sao Tome and Principe, which was subjected to a coup attempt at the end of November, in order to help its former colony achieve “stability”.
“We will work with Sao Tome and Principe until the country finds stability and other prospects for the future,” said Portuguese Foreign Minister Joao Gomez Cravinho after announcing “emergency financial aid”.
The minister added that Portugal would grant aid of “15 million euros to help the country meet its immediate cash needs” in sectors such as education, health and the rule of law.
This announcement comes after the period of instability experienced by this small island nation in the independent Gulf of Guinea since 1975.
The Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe, Patrice Trovoada, announced on November 25 that the military had thwarted a coup attempt in this tiny, extremely poor Portuguese-speaking archipelago, a model of parliamentary democracy in Africa.
Many gray areas surround the circumstances and chronology of events. However, the government confirmed that investigations would be conducted to “determine the circumstances of the deaths” that occurred during these events, as well as the responsibilities for the coup attempt.
The head of Portuguese diplomacy stressed that “Sao Tome is a brotherly country, so Portugal cannot remain indifferent in the face of great difficulties.”
At the beginning of next year, Portugal will continue a “very close dialogue” with the government of São Toméan, as well as with “other international entities” such as the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) or the International Monetary Fund (IMF). To continue to help the country, said the minister.
France Press agency
