# Foreign relations of São Tomé and Príncipe

Until independence in 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe had few ties abroad except those that passed through Portugal. Following independence, the new government sought to expand its diplomatic relationships. A common language, tradition, and colonial legacy have led to close collaboration between São Tomé and other ex-Portuguese colonies in Africa, particularly Angola. São Toméan relations with other African countries in the region, such as Gabon and the Republic of the Congo, are also good. In December 2000, São Tomé signed the African Union treaty; it was later ratified by the National Assembly.
The São Toméan government has generally maintained a foreign policy based on nonalignment and cooperation with any country willing to assist in its economic development. In recent years, it has also increasingly emphasized ties to the United States and western Europe.

## Diplomatic relations

List of countries which São Tomé and Príncipe maintains diplomatic relations with:
Date :
| 1 | China | 12 July 1975 |
| 2 | Germany | 12 July 1975 |
| 3 | Portugal | 12 July 1975 |
| 4 | Romania | 12 July 1975 |
| 5 | Cameroon | 14 July 1975 |
| 6 | Japan | 22 July 1975 |
| 7 | North Korea | 9 August 1975 |
| 8 | Russia | 9 August 1975 |
| 9 | France | 10 September 1975 |
| 10 | United States | 10 October 1975 |
| 11 | Czech Republic | 22 October 1975 |
| 12 | Mongolia | 22 October 1975 |
| 13 | Argentina | 5 November 1975 |
| 14 | Nigeria | 30 December 1975 |
| 15 | Brazil | December 1975 |
| 16 | Gabon | 1975 |
| 17 | India | 1975 |
| 18 | Egypt | March 1976 |
| 19 | Cuba | 10 April 1976 |
| 20 | Hungary | 2 November 1976 |
| 21 | Vietnam | 6 November 1976 |
| 22 | Libya | March 1977 |
| 23 | Sweden | 1977 |
| 24 | Angola | 19 February 1978 |
| 25 | Senegal | April 1978 |
| 26 | Poland | 20 November 1978 |
| 27 | Canada | 13 December 1978 |
| 28 | Morocco | 1978 |
| 29 | Algeria | 7 January 1979 |
| 30 | Serbia | 2 February 1979 |
| 31 | Finland | 1 March 1979 |
| 32 | Albania | 20 November 1979 |
| 33 | Grenada | 23 November 1979 |
| 34 | United Kingdom | 3 December 1979 |
| 35 | Bulgaria | 25 December 1979 |
| 36 | Kuwait | 9 January 1980 |
| 37 | Jamaica | 29 February 1980 |
| 38 | Mozambique | 1981 |
| 39 | Turkey | 1981 |
| 40 | Spain | 26 February 1982 |
| — | Holy See | 21 December 1984 |
| 41 | Switzerland | 28 February 1985 |
| 42 | Greece | 24 April 1986 |
| 43 | Seychelles | 22 October 1986 |
| 44 | Belgium | 1986 |
| 45 | Tunisia | 1986 |
| 46 | Thailand | 7 May 1987 |
| 47 | Bolivia | 15 May 1987 |
| 48 | Zambia | 31 August 1987 |
| 49 | Colombia | 12 August 1988 |
| 50 | South Korea | 20 August 1988 |
| 51 | Italy | 24 December 1988 |
| 52 | Peru | 4 May 1989 |
| 53 | Chile | 5 May 1989 |
| 54 | Mexico | 10 September 1990 |
| 55 | Uruguay | 26 September 1990 |
| 56 | Slovakia | 2 April 1993 |
| 57 | Austria | 3 May 1993 |
| 58 | Croatia | 23 May 1993 |
| 59 | Israel | 16 November 1993 |
| 60 | South Africa | 10 May 1994 |
| 61 | Latvia | 26 July 1994 |
| — | Republic of China (severed) | 6 May 1997 |
| 62 | Singapore | 18 August 1997 |
| 63 | Oman | 15 September 1997 |
| 64 | United Arab Emirates | 24 October 1997 |
| 65 | Bahrain | 27 October 1997 |
| — | Sovereign Military Order of Malta | 1997 |
| 66 | Ukraine | 16 April 1998 |
| 67 | North Macedonia | 11 July 2000 |
| 68 | Cyprus | 7 November 2000 |
| 69 | Philippines | 8 November 2000 |
| 70 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 8 May 2001 |
| 71 | Belarus | 11 December 2001 |
| 72 | Timor-Leste | 20 May 2002 |
| 73 | Mauritius | 28 February 2003 |
| 74 | Lithuania | 8 July 2003 |
| 75 | Norway | 6 August 2004 |
| 76 | Venezuela | 19 August 2006 |
| 77 | Iceland | 24 September 2007 |
| 78 | Iran | 2007 |
| 79 | Cape Verde | 10 November 2008 |
| 80 | Estonia | 20 May 2009 |
| 81 | Andorra | 27 May 2009 |
| 82 | Australia | 8 July 2009 |
| 83 | Indonesia | 27 September 2011 |
| 84 | Mauritania | 4 August 2013 |
| 85 | Luxembourg | 10 April 2014 |
| 86 | Slovenia | 10 April 2014 |
| 87 | Georgia | 12 September 2014 |
| 88 | Kazakhstan | 20 November 2014 |
| 89 | Malaysia | 9 April 2015 |
| 90 | Rwanda | 11 January 2017 |
| 91 | Sudan | 20 April 2018 |
| 92 | Namibia | 14 September 2018 |
| 93 | Dominican Republic | 24 September 2018 |
| 94 | Malta | 24 September 2018 |
| 95 | Tajikistan | 24 September 2018 |
| 96 | Azerbaijan | 25 September 2018 |
| 97 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 28 September 2018 |
| 98 | Burkina Faso | 20 February 2019 |
| 99 | Benin | 20 February 2019 |
| 100 | Denmark | 29 May 2019 |
| 101 | Qatar | 4 May 2021 |
| 102 | Chad | 3 March 2022 |
| 103 | Ivory Coast | 3 March 2022 |
| 104 | Maldives | 5 April 2022 |
| 105 | Zimbabwe | 15 June 2022 |
| 106 | Saudi Arabia | 7 June 2023 |
| 107 | Burundi | 13 June 2023 |
| 108 | Paraguay | 13 July 2023 |
| 109 | Mali | 8 December 2023 |
| 110 | Republic of the Congo | Unknown |
| 111 | Equatorial Guinea | Unknown |
| 112 | Ghana | Unknown |
| 113 | Guinea | Unknown |
| 114 | Guinea-Bissau | Unknown |
| 115 | Kenya | Unknown |
| 116 | Netherlands | Unknown |
| 117 | Nicaragua | Unknown |
| 118 | Pakistan | Unknown |

## Bilateral relations

| Country | Formal relations began | Notes |
| Algeria | 7 January 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 January 1979 when has been accredited Ambassador of Algeria to São Tomé and Príncipe (resident in Luanda) Mr. Noureddine Harbi. |
| Angola | 19 February 1978 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 February 1978 Angola has an embassy in São Tomé. São Tomé and Príncipe has an embassy in Luanda. |
| Australia | 8 July 2009 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 July 2009 Australia is represented in São Tomé and Príncipe from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. São Tomé and Príncipe is represented in Australia by from its embassy in Lisbon, Portugal. |
| Benin | 20 February 2019 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 February 2019 when Ambassador of Benin, Paulete Adjovi presented his credentials to the President of São Tomé and Príncipe, Evaristo Carvalho. |
| Brazil | 12 July 1975 | See Brazil–São Tomé and Príncipe relations Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1975. Both countries are full members of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. Brazil has an embassy in São Tomé. São Tomé and Príncipe is accredited to Brazil from its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City, United States. |
| Burkina Faso | 19 February 2019 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 February 2019 when Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Sao Tome and Principe, Saïdou Zongo presented his credentials. |
| Burundi | 13 June 2023 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 June 2023 when first Ambassador of Burundi to São Tomé and Príncipe Mr. Mwamba Ntirampeba presented his credentials to President Carlos Manuel Vila Nova. |
| Cape Verde | | São Tomé and Príncipe maintains an embassy in Praia, Cape Verde. |
| China | 12 July 1975, severed diplomatic relations 6 May 1997, Restored 26 December 2016 | See China–São Tomé and Príncipe relations Prior to independence, the People's Republic of China (PRC) supported the country's indigenous movement for independence against the Portuguese Empire and the relationship continued after independence. Official diplomatic relation was established with the PRC upon independence on 12 July 1975. In 1975 and 1983, the country's first president, Manuel Pinto da Costa, visited the PRC. On 6 May 1997, São Tomé and Príncipe switched diplomatic relation from PRC to Republic of China (ROC). On 15 November 2013, an unofficial PRC trade mission office was established in São Tomé and Príncipe to facilitate the non-political commercial ties with the PRC. However, in June 2014, President Manuel Pinto da Costa made a private visit to Shanghai in Mainland China for a non-political mission. São Tomé and Príncipe had been speaking at the United Nations General Assembly for ROC meaningful participation in international organizations. While on the other side, ROC has provided various aids to the country for the development in their infrastructure and social system. São Tomé and Príncipe severed relations with ROC on 20 December 2016, leaving Burkina Faso and Swaziland as the only two remaining African nations retaining formal relations with the ROC, when the ROC government reportedly turned down a São Toméan request for $210 million in financial assistance. Diplomatic relations between PRC and São Tomé and Príncipe resumed on 26 December 2016. |
| Egypt | March 1976 | Egypt is represented in São Tomé and Príncipe by its embassy in Luanda, Angola. Both countries are full members of the African Union. |
| Gabon | | Sao Tome and Principe has an embassy in Libreville, Gabon |
| India | 14 August 1975 | See India–São Tomé and Príncipe relations India has an embassy in São Tomé. São Tomé and Príncipe has an honorary consulate in New Delhi. |
| Italy | 24 December 1988 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 December 1988 when Italian ambassador Francesco Lanata presented his credentials to Sao Tome and Principe. |
| Mauritania | 4 August 2013 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 August 2013 when Ambassador of Mauritania With residence in Abuja, Nigeria Mr. Ba Abderrahmane, presented his letters of credentials to President of São Tomé and Príncipe Manuel Pinto da Costa. |
| Mozambique | 1981 | Mozambique is accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe from its embassy in Luanda, Angola and maintains an honorary consulate in São Tomé. São Tomé and Príncipe is accredited to Mozambique from its embassy in Luanda, Angola and maintains an honorary consulate in Maputo. |
| Namibia | 14 September 2018 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 September 2018 when Ambassador of São Tomé and Príncipe Mr. Carlos Gustavo dos Anjos, presented his credentials to President of Namibia Hage G. Geingob. |
| Portugal | 12 July 1975 | See Portugal–São Tomé and Príncipe relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 July 1975. Portugal has an embassy in São Tomé. São Tomé and Príncipe has an embassy in Lisbon. |
| Serbia | 2 February 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 February 1979 Both countries have a number of bilateral agreements. |
| South Africa | 10 May 1994 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 May 1994. Both countries are full members of the African Union. |
| South Korea | 20 August 1988 | Establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and São Tomé and Príncipe was August 20, 1988. In 2001 Bilateral Trade were Exports $74,479 Imports $40,381. |
| Spain | 26 February 1982 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 February 1982 when appointed first Ambassador of Spain in São Tomé and Príncipe (resident in Luanda) Mr. Manuel Piñeiro Souto |
| Turkey | 12 July 1975 | Embassy of São Tomé and Príncipe in Lisbon is accredited to Turkey. The Turkish Embassy in Libreville is accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe. Trade volume between the two countries was 2.3 million USD in 2019. |
| United Kingdom | 3 December 1979 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 December 1979 when the first Ambassador of the United Kingdom to São Tomé and Príncipe, Mr. Christopher D. S. MacRae was appointed. |
| United States | 12 July 1975 | See São Tomé and Príncipe–United States relations With the development of São Tomé's oil reserves, American diplomatic and military relations are becoming closer. In February 2005, the US Navy's USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) entered West African waters near São Tomé to provide security assistance and training to the local security services. |
| Zambia | 31 August 1987 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 August 1987 when Mr. J. Jose Da Costa has been accredited as Ambassador of São Tomé and Príncipe to Zambia (resident in Luanda). |
| Zimbabwe | 15 June 2022 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 June 2022 when Ambassador of Zimbabwe Mr. Maxwell Ranga, presented his credentials to President of São Tomé and Príncipe Carlos Vila Nova. |