SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE: BANKING REGULATIONS FOR COMPLIANCE

Overview of the Financial Sector in Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe, a small island nation located off the coast of West Africa, has an underdeveloped financial sector that is primarily regulated by the Autoridade Geral de Regulação (AGER). AGER oversees several sectors, including telecommunications, postal services, water supply, electricity, and conducts basic analysis of food products through the Laboratory of Center for Agricultural and Technological Research (CIAT).

Regulatory Bodies in Sao Tome and Principe

• Autoridade Geral de Regulação (AGER): The sole regulatory authority responsible for overseeing several sectors, including telecommunications, postal services, water supply, electricity, and conducting basic analysis of food products.
• Diretoria para a Regulação e Controlo das Actividades Económicas (DRCAE): Promotes competition and prevents abuses under the supervision of the Secretary of State for Commerce and Industry.

Compliance Requirements

To operate in Sao Tome and Principe, users of telecommunication equipment must obtain certification from AGER. The Ministry of Planning, Finance and Blue Economy serves as the primary contact point for regulatory information.

Access to Regulatory Information

• ePing Platform: Provides access to notifications made by WTO Members under the Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT).
• Notify U.S.: Operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), distributes and provides access to notifications made under the WTO TBT Agreement for US stakeholders.

Comment Submissions

For stakeholders interested in reviewing proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures, comment submissions should be sent directly to the USA WTO TBT Inquiry Point. Guidance is available at https://tsapps.nist.gov/notifyus/data/guidance/guidance.cfm.