São Tomé and Príncipe: A Report on Organized Crime, Leadership, and Governance
São Tomé and Príncipe is a small island nation located in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of West Africa. This report provides an overview of the country’s situation regarding organized crime, leadership and governance, criminal justice and security, economic and financial environment, and civil society and social protection.
Organized Crime: The Threat and Reality
São Tomé and Príncipe is vulnerable to external sources of organized crime, particularly piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Foreign criminal actors have a presence on the islands, managing drug trafficking through them. However, local gangs are primarily engaged in petty crime, with limited engagement with larger criminal markets.
Key Challenges:
- The country’s geographical location makes it susceptible to external threats
- Presence of foreign criminal actors managing drug trafficking
- Limited engagement from local gangs with larger criminal markets
Leadership and Governance: A Mixed Record
São Tomé and Príncipe is a democracy with a relatively positive track-record for upholding civil liberties and democratic norms. The government has shown some political will to combat organized crime, launching the strategic government plan in 2017. However, corruption remains a significant impediment to development and effective law enforcement.
Key Issues:
- Corruption hinders development and effective law enforcement
- Government’s efforts to combat organized crime are limited by corruption
- Democracy is upheld, but with some limitations
Criminal Justice and Security: Capacity and Resources
The judiciary in São Tomé and Príncipe is mostly independent. However, interference and undue influence over courts have been reported. The police and security forces lack equipment, capacity, and resources necessary to respond to crime in a timely and comprehensive manner.
Key Challenges:
- Interference and undue influence over the judiciary
- Police and security forces lack necessary resources and capacity
Economic and Financial Environment: Isolation and Vulnerability
São Tomé and Príncipe is a lower-middle-income country with an economy growing driven by tourism services and agriculture. However, the economy is isolated and vulnerable to external shocks, with high unemployment and poverty rates. There is little evidence of large-scale illicit financial activity such as money laundering.
Key Issues:
- Economy is isolated and vulnerable to external shocks
- High unemployment and poverty rates
- Limited illicit financial activity
Civil Society and Social Protection: A Need for Improvement
There are no strong and established assistance programs for victims of organized crime. NGOs operate freely but face funding constraints, limiting their ability to address issues like child labor. The press environment in São Tomé and Príncipe is generally free, although self-censorship is common.
Key Challenges:
- Limited support for victims of organized crime
- Funding constraints for NGOs
- Self-censorship in the press environment