Embassy/Consulate Addresses | Foreign Relations | Travel Advisories | Travel Tips | Customs/Duties



EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

Diplomatic Representation in US:
Note: Sao Tome and Principe has no embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN.
Chief of Mission: Ovidio Manuel Barbosa Pequeno
Address 460 Park Avenue 11th Floor, New York, NY 10011
Telephone [1] (212) 317-0644 Fax: (212) 317-0624

US Diplomatic Representation:
U.S. Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands.


FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S. - SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE RELATIONS

The United States established diplomatic relations with Sao Tome and Principe in 1976, following its independence from Portugal. U.S. relations with Sao Tome and Principe are excellent. The two countries share a commitment to democracy and good governance. The Voice of America broadcasts to much of Africa from a relay transmitter station in Sao Tome.

U.S. Assistance to Sao Tome and Principe

U.S. foreign assistance to Sao Tome and Principe is focused on improving the professionalism and capacity of the country’s small military and coast guard and enhancing its maritime security efforts. Situated in the oil-rich, strategically significant Gulf of Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe is a member of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), which is the focus of an increasing number of regional security initiatives. Sao Tome and Principe has been an active player in ECCAS’s Zone D maritime security exercises, and a participant in the U.S. Navy’s Africa Partnership Station ship visits to Gulf of Guinea countries.

Bilateral Economic Relations

U.S. exports to Sao Tome and Principe include vehicles, electrical machinery, aircraft, and iron and steel products, while its imports from Sao Tome and Principe include optic and medical instruments, cocoa, and furniture and bedding. Sao Tome and Principe is eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The two countries do not have a bilateral investment treaty or taxation treaty.

Sao Tome and Principe's Membership in International Organizations

Sao Tome and Principe and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. Sao Tome and Principe also is an observer to the World Trade Organization.

Bilateral Representation

The U.S. Ambassador to Sao Tome and Principe is Eric Benjaminson, resident in Gabon; other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List.

More information about Sao Tome and Principe is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

Department of State Sao Tome and Principe Page
Department of State Key Officers List
CIA World Factbook Sao Tome and Principe Page
U.S. Embassy: Gabon
History of U.S. Relations With Sao Tome and Principe
Human Rights Reports
International Religious Freedom Reports
Narcotics Control Reports
Investment Climate Statements
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Countries Page
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics
Travel and Business Information




TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Sao Tome & Principe check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving TBA
Currency (STD) Dobra
Electrical 220 Volts
Telephones Country Code 239, City Code, Sao Tome and Principe 2+5D



Time Zone: GMT

Communications
Country Code: 239
IDD: International Direct Dialling is very limited
Outgoing Code: All international calls must go through the operator

Food and Drink
Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Dobra (Db) = 100 cêntimos. Notes are in denominations of Db50,000, 20,000, 10,000 and 5000. Coins are in denominations of Db20, 10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50 cêntimos.

Banking Hours: 0730 - 1130 Mon. to Fri.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC

Climate: An equatorial climate with heavy rainfall, high temperatures and humidity. The south of the main island, being mountainous, is wetter than the north. The main dry season is from early June to late September. There is another dry season, the ‘Pequenha Gravana’, from the end of December to the start of February.

Required clothing: Tropicals and lightweight cottons throughout the year. Umbrellas or light waterproofs for the rainy season are advised.


CUSTOMS/DUTIES

TOBACCO.........................Reasonable quantity

LIQUOR.............................Alcoholic beverages are prohibited

PERFUME..........................Reasonable quantity

GIFTS................................Reasonable quantity

CAMERAS..........................No restrictions

CURRENCY.........................Must be declared on arrival

AGRICULTURE ITEMS........Refer to Consulate



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