São Tomé and Príncipe pointing to an example in the United Nations

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, classifies Sao Tome and Principe as an example to follow in Africa, for overcoming political tensions and ending the process of power changes in a peaceful way.

Sao Tome and Principe was seconded by António Guterres in his latest biannual report for Central Africa, presented today at a meeting of the Security Council in New York.

The document was read by François Louncény Fall, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa, who praised “all stakeholders in São Tomé and Príncipe for their commitment to resolve their differences through constitutional mechanisms.”

The people of Sao Tome and Principe have maintained “unremitting efforts to maintain peace and stability,” said the head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA).

François Louncény Fall was in Sao Tome and Principe in October, to follow the tabulation of the elections at the seat of the Constitutional Court.

Sao Tome and Principe held legislative elections on October 7, after which it made a change in leaders: a new government, which took office on December 3, led by Jorge Bom Jesus as prime minister, and the new National Assembly, installed on November 22, presided over by the former opposition leader, Delfim Santiago das Neves.

The Democratic Action Party (ADI) won the October 7 elections with a simple majority of 25 of the 55 members of the National Assembly (parliament), but the Sao Tome and Principe Liberation Movement – Social Democratic Party ( MLSTP-PSD) and the PCD-UDD-MDFM coalition, following a post-election agreement signed between the two forces following the October 7 legislative elections, which secured an absolute majority (28 in 55 MPs).

The President of Sao Tome and Principe, Evaristo Carvalho, on December 3 inaugurated the Prime Minister, Jorge Bom Jesus, and members of the XVII Constitutional Government, which includes 12 ministries and two secretaries of state.

The ADI, which had hitherto been in power, won the elections with a simple majority (25 members), but the President of the Republic invited the second most voted force to form a government, justifying the decision with “the current correlation of forces” in parliament and ” the superior interests “of the country.

The MLSTP-PSD and coalition had promised to bring a possible ADI executive to parliament.

ADI leader and former prime minister Patrice Trovoada who left the country even before the official results of the ballot were published by the Constitutional Court, announced his departure from the party for a period of two years.