U.S. - SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE RELATIONS

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

U.S. - SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE RELATIONSThe United States established diplomatic relations with Sao Tome and Principe in 1976, following its independence from Portugal. U.S. relations with Sao Tome and Principe are excellent. The two countries share a commitment to democracy and good governance. The Voice of America broadcasts to much of Africa from a relay transmitter station in Sao Tome.

U.S. Assistance to Sao Tome and PrincipeU.S. foreign assistance to Sao Tome and Principe is focused on improving the professionalism and capacity of the country’s small military and coast guard and enhancing its maritime security efforts. Situated in the oil-rich, strategically significant Gulf of Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe is a member of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which is the focus of an increasing number of regional security initiatives. Sao Tome and Principe has been an active player in ECCAS’s Zone D maritime security exercises, and a participant in the U.S. Navy’s Africa Partnership Station ship visits to Gulf of Guinea countries.

Bilateral Economic RelationsU.S. exports to Sao Tome and Principe include vehicles, electrical machinery, aircraft, and iron and steel products, while its imports from Sao Tome and Principe include optic and medical instruments, cocoa, and furniture and bedding. Sao Tome and Principe is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The two countries do not have a bilateral investment treaty or taxation treaty.

Sao Tome and Principe's Membership in International OrganizationsSao Tome and Principe and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. Sao Tome and Principe also is an observer to the World Trade Organization.