AGP Executive Report

Cultural Heritage & Tourism: UNESCO-listed “rocas” tied to slavery on São Tomé and Príncipe are drawing private investment and a long restoration push, with families tracing roots to plantation estates like Sundy on Príncipe. Cultural Life: The open-air Tchiloli theatre keeps thriving on São Tomé, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese—yet audiences connect through its message of justice for rich and poor. National Leadership: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second presidential term, pledging to uphold the constitution and drive social, economic, and cultural progress. Social Attitudes: A new Afrobarometer profile finds broad tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views on immigration—an important lens for how communities define belonging.

US Green Card / Diversity Visa: The US State Department has released the full DV 2026 selected-entrant list, with Central Africa strongly represented, and a court ruling in California temporarily lifting key DV restrictions has reopened paths for affected applicants as the September 30 deadline nears. Presidential Leadership: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second term as President of São Tomé and Príncipe, pledging to uphold the constitution and push cultural and social progress. Living Heritage / UNESCO: São Tomé is turning colonial plantation “rocas” tied to slavery into living heritage, with six estates recently added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List and a 10-year restoration plan drawing tourism interest. Culture / Tchiloli Theatre: Open-air Tchiloli continues to thrive on the islands, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese—its message of justice resonating with locals and visitors. Water & Hygiene (SDG 6): São Tomé and Príncipe is accelerating progress on drinking water and hygiene, reporting gains in basic services and safer sanitation, even as universal access remains a goal.

US Green Card Lottery: The U.S. State Department has published the full DV 2026 selected-entrant list, with eight Central African countries represented; the program offers about 55,000 permanent resident visas and runs to Sept. 30. Legal Relief for Applicants: A California judge temporarily lifted key DV restrictions, reopening a path for affected applicants to keep submitting documents and attending interviews. Living Heritage in São Tomé: UNESCO’s new World Heritage “rocas” plantation estates on Príncipe and São Tomé are being framed as living heritage, with a 10-year restoration push drawing tourism interest. Presidential Continuity: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second term after winning reelection with 55.88%, pledging constitutional rule and renewed social, economic, and cultural progress. Tchiloli Theatre Spotlight: Open-air Tchiloli—an Old Portuguese medieval tragedy tradition—keeps thriving, with performers and audiences linking its popularity to themes of justice. Water & Hygiene Progress: São Tomé and Príncipe is accelerating SDG 6 gains, including improved access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

World Heritage & Memory: UNESCO has added six “rocas” plantation estates tied to slavery to the World Heritage List, spotlighting how São Tomé and Príncipe is turning colonial sites into living heritage while also facing a tough 10-year restoration push that’s drawing tourism and investor interest. Traditional Theatre: The open-air Tchiloli tradition keeps thriving on São Tomé, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese—yet audiences connect through its recurring message of justice for rich and poor. New Leadership: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second presidential term, pledging to uphold the constitution and drive economic, social, and cultural progress. Social Attitudes: A new Afrobarometer profile finds broad tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views on immigration—an issue that shapes everyday inclusion debates. Water & Hygiene Progress: UN-Water highlights continued gains in access to water, sanitation, and hygiene under SDG 6, including improved basic hygiene coverage since 2015. Immigration Policy Abroad: A U.S. court temporarily lifted restrictions affecting Diversity Visa applicants, reopening paths for many DV-2026 cases as the September 30 deadline nears.

World Heritage & Memory: UNESCO has added six former plantation estates (“rocas”) built on slavery to the World Heritage List, including Principe’s Sundy—now facing preservation challenges but also attracting private tourism interest and sparking pride from descendants like Conceição Moreno. Living Culture: Open-air Tchiloli theatre keeps drawing crowds in São Tomé, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese; actors say its message of justice still feels real for today. National Leadership: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second presidential term, pledging to uphold the constitution and push economic, social and cultural progress. Water & Daily Life: UN-Water highlights São Tomé and Príncipe’s SDG 6 progress, including gains in basic hygiene and improved access to water and sanitation, even as universal access remains a goal. Diplomacy: Angola’s foreign minister, Téte António, represented President João Lourenço at Vila Nova’s inauguration, underscoring close CPLP ties. Social Attitudes: An Afrobarometer report finds broad tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views toward immigration. Human Rights Spotlight: Coverage also revisits the child-soldier crisis in Angola, linking conflict to children’s rights and education gaps. Immigration Policy Abroad: A U.S. court temporarily lifted restrictions affecting Diversity Visa applicants, reopening a path for many DV-2026 cases ahead of the September 30 deadline, with thousands of prospective applicants from African countries including São Tomé and Príncipe.

UNESCO & Heritage Preservation: Sao Tome and Principe’s “rocas” plantation estates—built on slavery and forced labour—have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, with a 10-year restoration push drawing private tourism interest, even as crumbling sites like Principe’s Sundy plantation pose tough preservation challenges. Cultural Life: The open-air Tchiloli theatre tradition keeps thriving, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese and audiences connecting to its core message of justice across class and gender. Leadership & National Identity: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second presidential term, pledging constitutional commitment and renewed economic, social and cultural progress. Water & Daily Wellbeing: UN-Water highlights progress toward SDG 6 in Sao Tome and Principe, noting gains in basic hygiene and improved water access since 2015, alongside remaining gaps toward universal service. Regional Human Rights Lens: A new focus on child soldiers in Angola underscores ongoing attention to children’s rights in Portuguese-speaking Africa. Immigration Attitudes: An Afrobarometer report finds broad social tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views on immigration—an issue that shapes how communities define belonging.

UNESCO & Heritage Tourism: Six former plantation estates (“rocas”) on São Tomé and Príncipe—built on slavery and forced labour—were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, with private investors now circling the crumbling sites and a proposed 10-year restoration push aimed at turning painful history into sustainable tourism. Cultural Life: The open-air Tchiloli theatre tradition is still thriving, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese; actors and spectators say its message of justice—fair to rich and poor—keeps it deeply relevant. National Leadership: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second presidential term, pledging to uphold the constitution and drive economic, social, and cultural progress. Social Attitudes & Migration: A new Afrobarometer profile finds broad tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views on immigration—an issue that shapes everyday social boundaries. Water & Hygiene Progress: UN-Water highlights notable gains in access to water, sanitation, and hygiene, including improvements in basic hygiene coverage, even as universal access remains a goal.

UNESCO & Heritage Tourism: Six former plantation estates (“rocas”) on Principe and São Tomé—built on slavery and forced labour—have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, with investors now circling the crumbling sites and a 10-year restoration plan aiming to protect the living history behind the walls of places like the Sundy plantation. Living Culture: The open-air Tchiloli theatre tradition is still thriving, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese and drawing crowds through its message of justice that “doesn’t distinguish between rich and poor.” National Leadership: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second presidential term, pledging to uphold the constitution and push cultural and social progress after winning re-election in July. Water & Daily Life (SDG 6): São Tomé and Príncipe is accelerating progress on drinking water and hygiene, reporting strong gains since 2015 even as safely managed services remain a work in progress. Regional Context: A new Afrobarometer profile finds broad tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views toward immigration—an issue that shapes everyday social life.

UNESCO & Heritage Tourism: Six former plantation “rocas” on São Tomé and Príncipe—built on slavery and forced labour—have just been added to the World Heritage List, with private investors showing interest in turning the crumbling estates into tourism sites while a 10-year restoration plan tackles the preservation challenge. Cultural Continuity (Tchiloli): The open-air Tchiloli theatre tradition on São Tomé keeps drawing crowds, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese and audiences connecting to its core message of justice for everyone, regardless of class or gender. National Leadership: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second five-year term as president, pledging to uphold the constitution and push economic, social, and cultural progress. Water & Daily Life (SDG 6): UN-Water highlights progress on drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, noting gains in basic hygiene coverage and improvements in access to safely managed services. Community Attitudes: A new Afrobarometer profile finds broad tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views toward immigration—an issue that shapes social life and public debate.

Presidential Renewal: Carlos Vila Nova was sworn in for a second five-year term, pledging to uphold the constitution and push economic, social, and cultural progress, with regional leaders attending the inauguration. Cultural Living Heritage: Sao Tomé’s open-air Tchiloli theatre keeps drawing crowds, with performers staging a medieval European tragedy in Old Portuguese—yet locals connect it to a universal message of justice for rich and poor. UNESCO & Memory Work: UNESCO’s World Heritage push highlights Sao Tome and Principe’s historic plantations, including “rocas” tied to slavery and forced labour; preservation is urgent as many sites sit abandoned, even as investors eye tourism. Water & Daily Life: A UN-Water SDG 6 acceleration study notes major gains in access to water, sanitation, and hygiene, with progress in safely managed services and household hygiene since 2015. Community Attitudes & Identity: An Afrobarometer report finds broad tolerance across ethnicity and religion, but more restrictive views toward immigration—alongside strong attachment to national identity. Regional Solidarity: Angola’s foreign minister, Téte António, represented President João Lourenço at Vila Nova’s swearing-in, underscoring CPLP and African cooperation ties.

Tchiloli Theatre: Sao Tome’s UNESCO-listed open-air Tchiloli brings a medieval European tragedy to life, with performers using Old Portuguese scripts and Carolingian legends to stage themes of justice that still resonate today. World Heritage & Plantations: UNESCO recognition is boosting efforts to preserve Sao Tome and Principe’s historic “rocas” plantation estates, built on slavery and forced labour, even as crumbling sites struggle for funding and face pressure from private tourism investors. Heritage in a Climate Crisis: A wider UNESCO World Heritage Committee push highlights more inclusive protection and renewed commitments as climate pressures grow, with Sao Tome and Principe noted among underrepresented regions. Water & Hygiene Progress (SDG 6): UN-Water reports major gains in drinking water, sanitation and hygiene access, including higher basic hygiene coverage since 2015, while universal access remains a challenge. National Unity & Policing: President Carlos Vila Nova says the National Police must sit above political disputes, calling for neutrality, professionalism and calm ahead of upcoming elections. Regional Links: Angola’s foreign minister, Téte António, represented President João Lourenço at the inauguration of Sao Tome’s re-elected president, underscoring CPLP and regional cooperation.

Diplomacy & State Ceremony: Angola’s foreign minister Téte António represented President João Lourenço at the swearing-in of re-elected São Tomé and Príncipe President Carlos Vila Nova, underscoring long-standing cultural ties and cooperation between the two CPLP partners. Public Safety & Civic Values: President Vila Nova used the 51st anniversary of the National Police to argue that the force must sit above political disputes, stressing neutrality, respect for law, and calm handling of upcoming elections. Heritage & Tourism: UNESCO’s recent recognition of São Tomé’s historic “rocas” plantation estates spotlights a painful past of forced labour and slavery, while also raising urgent preservation questions as private investors eye tourism potential. Water & Hygiene Progress: São Tomé and Príncipe is accelerating progress toward SDG 6, reporting strong gains in access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene—though universal coverage remains a work in progress. Global Context: A separate roundup maps the largest religion by country, offering a broad snapshot of how faiths are distributed worldwide.

UNESCO & Heritage Preservation: UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee wrapped up in Busan with renewed focus on inclusion, and São Tomé and Príncipe’s plantation “rocas” are highlighted as living heritage—built on slavery and forced labour, now facing preservation challenges as investors eye tourism potential. Water & Hygiene Progress: UN-Water reports São Tomé and Príncipe is accelerating SDG 6 progress, with basic water access at about 80% (2015) and safely managed sanitation at 35%, plus a 21% rise in basic hygiene services coverage by 2024. Public Safety & Democracy: President Carlos Vila Nova urged that the National Police stay above political disputes, stressing neutrality, discipline, and respect for law during an election-heavy year. Regional Integration (Services): SADC moves to operationalise Mutual Recognition Agreements for cross-border service providers, with work underway on legal and tourism services. Human Rights Spotlight: A separate report revisits Angola’s child soldier crisis, using the Cape Town definition and noting rights groups have recorded up to 11,000 child soldiers in recent fighting years.

Water & Hygiene Progress: UN-Water reports São Tomé and Príncipe has made major strides toward SDG 6, with basic water access rising to about 80% in 2015, while safely managed water reaches 37% and safely managed sanitation 35%; hygiene coverage also climbed 21% from 2015 to 2024, showing real gains even as universal access remains unfinished. UNESCO Heritage & Plantations: UNESCO’s World Heritage push continues to spotlight the island nation’s historic plantation estates, adding six “rocas” tied to slavery and forced labour to the World Heritage List last month; with many sites now abandoned, preservation is a challenge, but investors are eyeing tourism potential. World Heritage Committee Update: The 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Busan underscored more inclusive protection, with São Tomé and Príncipe among the first-time African inscriptions for underrepresented regions, and a new SIDS heritage strategy for 2026–2034 announced. Policing & Elections Tone: President Carlos Vila Nova urged that the National Police stay above political disputes, stressing neutrality, discipline, and respect for the law as the country heads toward multiple election dates.

Water & Hygiene Progress: UN-Water reports São Tomé and Príncipe has made real strides toward SDG 6, with basic water access rising to about 80% in 2015, while the tougher “improved, on-premises, available when needed, contamination-free” measure reaches 37%; safely managed sanitation is at 35%, and basic hygiene coverage grew 21% from 2015 to 2024—an impressive gain for a small, resource-constrained island state. Heritage & Climate-Era Preservation: UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee wrapped up in Busan with renewed calls for more inclusive protection, and the spotlight included São Tomé and Príncipe’s plantation heritage—six “rocas” tied to slavery and forced labour—now on the World Heritage List, even as crumbling sites face major preservation hurdles and growing interest from tourism investors. Public Safety & Elections: President Carlos Vila Nova urged that the National Police stay above political disputes, stressing neutrality and respect for the state as the country heads toward major election milestones. Regional Mobility & Services: SADC integration work is pushing Mutual Recognition Agreements for cross-border service providers, with São Tomé and Príncipe named among the countries that have ratified key free movement steps. Cost of Living Watch: Inflation remains a concern across Africa; São Tomé and Príncipe is listed at 9.70% (June 2026), up from 9.20% the prior month.

UNESCO World Heritage: The 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee wrapped up in Busan with a push for more inclusive protection of sites worldwide, and a big moment for São Tomé and Príncipe: the country’s plantations were among the latest additions, alongside South Sudan and Comoros, bringing the total to 1,273 sites across 173 nations. Living heritage & tourism: A closer look at São Tomé’s “rocas” (plantation estates) shows how places built on slavery and forced labour are now crumbling—yet drawing private investor interest for tourism, raising urgent questions about preservation and how to tell these histories. Local governance & policing: President Carlos Vila Nova urged that the National Police stay above political disputes, stressing neutrality, discipline, and respect for the law as the country heads toward major election milestones. Regional integration: A SADC-focused update highlights progress on Mutual Recognition Agreements for services, noting São Tomé and Príncipe among the countries that have ratified key free-movement frameworks. Cost of living: Inflation remains a concern across Africa; São Tomé and Príncipe is listed with 9.70% inflation (June 2026), the highest since December 2025.