Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister Backs Africa’s Agro-Trade Initiative

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Príncipe, Dr. Américo d’Oliveira dos Ramos, has endorsed a bold new initiative aimed at accelerating intra-African trade in food and agro commodities.

Describing it as a timely and strategic opportunity for the continent amid global economic instability, Dr. Ramos expressed his full support during the inauguration of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Development Summit on Food and Agro Commodities in Africa.

“This is an opportunity for Africa — for all African countries,” he said. “South-South cooperation is something we must intensify, especially given the current global situation.”

Dr. Ramos pledged Sao Tome and Príncipe’s commitment to the project, vowing to mobilize resources and stakeholders within his country to contribute meaningfully to its success.

“Your initiative could make a real difference on the continent. I assure you of our support. I will rally our people and capacity to back this vision for Africa’s development,” he added.

Organized by the Nigeria–Sao Tome and Príncipe Forum, the summit aims to unlock the potential of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) engaged in agriculture and agro-commodity production, particularly within the Gulf of Guinea region.

Dr. Myke Ozurumba, President of the Forum, stressed the importance of grassroots involvement in the implementation of AfCFTA.

“Our goal is to strengthen intra-African trade at the SME level,” he said. “We want our people—especially those in agriculture and agro-commodity processing—to leverage AfCFTA to scale up their businesses and build sustainable trade networks across the continent.”