Lisbon, July 10, 2025 (Lusa) - The prime minister of Sao Tome and Principe argued on Thursday that the country should "look forward to a better future" for its people, improving various economic and social indicators and increasing wealth and employment, 50 years after independence.
"We are going to celebrate these 50 years [of independence] because a lot has been done, but we have to look towards a better future for the people of São Tomé and Príncipe," Américo Ramos told Lusa.
For the head of the São Toméan government, "several economic and social indicators need to be improved for the country to achieve the desired development".
To this end, he argued, "serious, concerted work" and "a change of approach" are needed.
In addition to taking advantage of "all opportunities", it is necessary to be "close to partners", he added.
"We have to put all the instruments in place to (...) improve the living conditions of the public, health, education" and increase "the wealth created within the country," he stressed.
But it is also necessary to "create conditions for more youth employment," which "can only be created with the private sector," he stressed.
Therefore, he said, São Tomé and Príncipe must "create a good business environment" to attract private capital to the country and enable job creation.
As for the long-awaited oil, Américo Ramos left the impression that it is still far from being achieved.
"Oil is something unexpected and unpredictable," said the São Toméan head of government, stressing that "exploration cannot be seen as something that will definitely happen if the time does not come to find oil that can be marketed."
However, he assured that analyses continue to be carried out by various companies, both in the exclusive zone of São Tomé and Príncipe and in the joint zone with Nigeria.
The independence of São Tomé and Príncipe was declared on 12 July 1975, the date on which the country signed a General Agreement on Cooperation and Friendship with Portugal, its former coloniser.
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