The results of the 26 March elections will fuel concern among
neighbouring countries. The coalition led by the Movimento
Democrático das Forças da Mudança (MDFM),
nominally loyal to President Fradique de Menezes, appears
set to em...
Expectations of an imminent oil boom may dominate campaigning
for the 26 March parliamentary elections. It is five years since
São Tomé signed a deal with Nigeria to establish
a Joint Development Zone along their undemarcated maritime bou...
Political mayhem follows the latest oil block awards in the Joint
Development Zone
The appointment of Damião Vaz d'Almeida as Premier
on 18 September marks the impoverished archipelago's sixth change
of government in three years. It also calls a halt, at least temporarily,
to the career of Maria das Neves.
Claims by Diamondworks, a South African-based, Canadian-registered company with a colourful history in mining and security (AC Vol 44 No 15), to have secured oil trading rights in São Tomé e Príncipe are stirring a political storm. It...
The latest coup attempt in São Tomé e Príncipe, which only temporarily toppled President Fradique de Menezes (who was in Nigeria when it happened on 16 July) and the government of Prime Minister Maria das Neves, aroused more than the ...
A newcomer to oil finds that old deals with foreign friends gum up the works
A symbol of regional cooperation, the Nigeria-São Tomé e Príncipe Joint Development Zone (JDZ), launched only in January, looks close to collapse.
President Fradique de Menezes must perform a tricky balancing act developing the oil sector under transparency rules which donors insist on and keeping his big Nigerian neighbours happy (AC Vol 43 No 3).
With parliamentary elections due next month and expectations of an oil boom, a long-simmering political feud finally exploded on 4 February with the resignation of Patrice Emery Trovoada, the 30-something Foreign Minister, son of the former President, Mig...
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