Vulnerabilities of São Tomé and Príncipe to Organized Crime: An Analysis

Type of Organized Crime

São Tomé and Príncipe faces various threats from organized crime, including:

Corruption in the state: Corruption is a significant problem, particularly within the judiciary.
Possible terrorism: Maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea poses a risk to the country’s security and stability.
Drug trafficking: The presence of drug traffickers is a concern for the government.
Local gangs: Petty crimes committed by local gangs are also a challenge for law enforcement.

Leadership and Governance

While São Tomé and Príncipe is a democracy with a relatively positive track record for upholding civil liberties and democratic norms, corruption remains a considerable problem. Efforts are being made to combat this issue, but more work needs to be done.

Challenges in Leadership and Governance

The judicial system appears vulnerable to political influence or manipulation.
Corruption is a significant obstacle to effective governance.

Criminal Justice and Security

The country’s criminal justice system faces several challenges:

Judicial system: The judicial system is subject to political influence or manipulation in some cases.
Prison conditions: Prison conditions are difficult due to overcrowding, infrastructure failures, and service shortcomings.
Prolonged pre-trial detention: Prolonged pre-trial detention has become a problem for some criminal cases.

Economic and Financial Environment

While there is little evidence of large-scale illicit financial activity such as money laundering, the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism protocol does not currently meet global standards. The government is working to address these deficiencies.

Economic and Financial Challenges

Anti-money laundering protocols: The country’s anti-money laundering protocols do not meet global standards.
Financial stability: There are concerns about financial stability due to corruption and lack of effective regulation.

There are no established assistance programs for victims of organized crime in São Tomé and Príncipe. NGOs operate without restriction but face funding constraints that limit their ability to function independently and effectively.

Civil Society Challenges

Lack of support: There is a lack of support for victims of organized crime.
NGO capacity: The capacity of NGOs to address the issue of organized crime is limited due to funding constraints.