AGP Executive Report

Health: A team of seven Russian volunteer doctors is in São Tomé and Príncipe until 27 October, offering consultations and specialist care while training local professionals in gynaecology, surgery and dentistry. The mission also plans to create online learning materials for African medical workers. Digital Payments: São Tomé and Príncipe-founded Sao Payment Global has launched in Ghana, its fifth market, and says it is building cross-border payments infrastructure for people, businesses and financial institutions.

Health & Training: Seven Russian volunteer doctors are in São Tomé and Príncipe until 27 October, offering consultations and specialist care while training local professionals in gynaecology, surgery and dentistry. Lusophone Culture: Macau’s 29th Lusofonia Festival runs 23–25 October, with traditional music and dance, food and art celebrating cultural ties across Portuguese-speaking communities. Faith & Community: São Tomé and Príncipe is among the churches represented by IMBISA, whose regional workshop is training Justice and Peace officials to strengthen advocacy on issues including migration, conflict and development.

Lusophone Culture: Macau’s 29th Lusofonia Festival runs Oct. 23–25, celebrating Portuguese-speaking cultures through music, dance, food and art, with a special focus on Brazil. Health: A team of seven Russian volunteer doctors is in São Tomé and Príncipe until Oct. 27, offering specialist care and training local health workers in areas including gynaecology, surgery and dentistry. Digital Payments: São Tomé-founded Sao Payment Global has launched in Ghana, its fifth market, as it expands its cross-border payments network in Africa.

Lusophone Culture: Macau’s 29th Lusofonia Festival runs Oct. 23–25, bringing traditional music and dance, Brazilian cuisine and performances to a celebration of Portuguese-speaking cultures. Health: Seven Russian volunteer doctors are in São Tomé until Oct. 27, providing consultations and specialist care while training local health professionals in gynecology, surgery and dentistry. Business & Innovation: São Tomé-founded Sao Payment Global has launched in Ghana, its fifth active market, expanding its digital payments network across West Africa.

Citizenship Ranking: São Tomé and Príncipe was among 14 countries assessed in the 2026 Citizenship by Investment index, which ranked five Caribbean programs at the top. Medical Mission: Seven Russian volunteer doctors are in São Tomé and Príncipe until 27 October, offering consultations and specialist care while training local health professionals, especially in gynecology, surgery and dentistry. Homegrown Fintech: Sao Payment Global, founded in São Tomé and Príncipe, has launched in Ghana, its fifth market, and plans further expansion across Africa.

Digital Access: São Tomé and Príncipe-founded Sao Payment Global has launched in Ghana, its fifth market, expanding its digital payments network across Africa. The company says its infrastructure is designed to make cross-border money transfers more accessible and affordable. Regional Church & Justice: São Tomé and Príncipe is among the countries represented in IMBISA, whose church network is holding a workshop on conflict, migration, peace and advocacy across southern Africa. Fashion & Identity: Lisbon Fashion Week put Portuguese heritage, cultural references and sustainability alongside experimental design, with shows from established labels and emerging creatives.

Travel Links: Portugal has selected Lufthansa’s bid for a 44.9% stake in TAP Air Portugal, a deal still awaiting approval that could strengthen the airline’s links to Portuguese-speaking Africa, including São Tomé and Príncipe. Fashion and Heritage: Lisbon Fashion Week put textile traditions, sustainability and emerging designers alongside experimental styles, with shows held at museums and historic venues across the city. Regional Church: São Tomé and Príncipe is among the countries represented at an IMBISA workshop where Catholic Justice and Peace officials are training to address conflict, migration, xenophobia and development challenges in southern Africa.

Fashion and Heritage: Lisbon Fashion Week, held October 7–11, brought together established and emerging designers exploring textile traditions, identity, experimentation and sustainability. Church and Regional Affairs: A Vatican official will join an IMBISA workshop on conflict, migration, justice and peace; the regional church body includes São Tomé and Príncipe. History and Reparations: São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova is among leaders whose statements appear in a Ghanaian Foreign Ministry edition covering calls for Catholic Church redress and reparations for the enslavement of Africans.

Family & Faith: Vatican organizers named an 11-member committee to review the closing report from Pope Leo XIV’s Oct. 7–14 gathering on Amoris laetitia, a decade after its publication. Discussions included migration’s impact on families, digital life and support for newlyweds. Regional Justice: São Tomé and Príncipe is among nine countries represented in IMBISA, whose regional workshop will train church officials to address conflict, forced migration, xenophobia, peace and development. Reparations & Heritage: Ghana’s Foreign Ministry newsletter published a call for Catholic Church redress over slavery. Its special edition also includes a statement by São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova, alongside contributions from leaders across Africa and beyond.

Travel Access: São Tomé and Príncipe passport holders qualify for up to 30 days of visa-free travel to the Philippines. Travellers need a passport valid for at least six months beyond their stay and a return or onward ticket. Church and Peace: A Vatican official will join an IMBISA workshop for church justice and peace staff from São Tomé and Príncipe and eight other southern African countries. The training will address conflict, forced migration, elections and advocacy. Reparations Debate: Ghana’s foreign ministry has published a call for Catholic Church redress in an official special edition, alongside statements from several heads of state, including São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova. The edition documents Ghana’s campaign for a UN resolution on the enslavement of Africans.

Travel Access: São Tomé and Príncipe is among 46 African countries whose citizens can enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 30 days. Travellers need a passport valid for at least six months and a return or onward ticket. Church and Peace: A Vatican official will join an IMBISA workshop on conflict, forced migration, justice and peace. The regional Catholic body includes São Tomé and Príncipe, and the training aims to strengthen local advocacy. Reparations and Memory: São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova is among the leaders featured in a Ghanaian foreign ministry publication on the campaign for reparations over the enslavement of Africans.

Catholic Family Life: A Vatican committee will review the final report from Pope Leo XIV’s meeting marking 10 years of Amoris laetitia, the Church’s reflection on love and family. Discussions included migration, digital life and support for couples and young people. Peace and Justice: São Tomé and Príncipe is among the countries represented in an IMBISA workshop training church officials to address regional conflicts, forced migration, xenophobia and peacebuilding. Travel: São Tomé and Príncipe passport holders qualify for up to 30 days of visa-free travel to the Philippines, subject to passport-validity and onward-ticket rules. Reparations: President Carlos Vila Nova is among the leaders featured in a Ghanaian foreign ministry publication on calls for Catholic Church redress over the enslavement of Africans.

Church and Social Justice: São Tomé and Príncipe is part of IMBISA, whose five-day regional workshop is training church justice officials to address conflict, forced migration, mining, xenophobia and peacebuilding. A Vatican official will connect local church concerns with wider Church guidance. Heritage and Reparations: Ghana’s foreign ministry published a call for Catholic Church redress in a special edition featuring remarks from São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova, alongside other heads of state. The edition follows a UN resolution recognizing the trafficking and enslavement of Africans as a grave crime against humanity. Travel: São Tomé and Príncipe is among 46 African countries whose citizens can visit the Philippines visa-free for up to 30 days, subject to passport validity and onward-travel requirements.

Church and Community: São Tomé and Príncipe is represented in a regional IMBISA workshop training Catholic Justice and Peace officials to address conflict, forced migration, mining and xenophobia. Heritage and Reparations: Ghana’s foreign ministry has published a call for Catholic Church redress in a special edition featuring a statement by São Tomé and Príncipe’s President Carlos Vila Nova, linking the country to a wider debate on the legacy of slavery. Conservation and Livelihoods: The islands’ UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status is being paired with sustainable local businesses, including forest-snail harvesting, to offer alternatives to activities such as illegal logging and poaching. Travel: São Tomé and Príncipe passport holders qualify for up to 30 days of visa-free entry to the Philippines, subject to passport and onward-ticket requirements.

Church and Peace: São Tomé and Príncipe is among the countries represented in the IMBISA regional church network, whose five-day workshop is training Justice and Peace officials to tackle conflict, forced migration, xenophobia and other challenges. A Vatican official is taking part. Conservation and Livelihoods: São Tomé and Príncipe’s biosphere reserve is using a model that links nature protection with community livelihoods, including small businesses built around sustainable harvesting of local forest snails. Travel Access: São Toméan passport holders are eligible for up to 30 days of visa-free travel to the Philippines, subject to entry requirements. Reparations: President Carlos Vila Nova is among the leaders featured in a Ghanaian Foreign Ministry edition calling for redress over the transatlantic slave trade.

Church and Peacebuilding: São Tomé and Príncipe is among nine countries represented in the IMBISA regional church network, whose workshop is training Justice and Peace officials to strengthen advocacy on conflict, forced migration, xenophobia and development. Reparations and Memory: São Tomé and Príncipe’s president is among leaders featured in a Ghanaian Foreign Ministry publication calling for Catholic Church redress over the enslavement of Africans, bringing the issue into an official record. Conservation and Livelihoods: The country’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve model links nature protection with sustainable livelihoods, including small enterprises that offer alternatives to illegal logging, charcoal production and wildlife poaching. Travel: São Tomé and Príncipe nationals are eligible for up to 30 days of visa-free entry to the Philippines, subject to passport and onward-ticket requirements.