Dr. Coffi Dieudonné Assouvi, Director General of CAFRAD, extends his warmest congratulations and best wishes to the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe on the occasion of its Independence Day, July 12.

On July 12, the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe commemorates the 51^st anniversary of its independence, proclaimed in 1975 at the end of the Portuguese decolonization process. This date marks a foundational milestone for the archipelago in the Gulf of Guinea, establishing its national sovereignty and shaping its institutional trajectory.

Since the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1990, São Tomé and Príncipe has established itself as a stable parliamentary democracy within the African continent, characterized by peaceful political transitions and a democratic foundation recognized by international observer missions.

On the multilateral level, São Tomé and Príncipe is a member of several regional and international organizations, notably the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), through which the country contributes to regional cooperation and integration.

The Director General of CAFRAD, Dr. Coffi Dieudonné Assouvi, and all the staff, on the occasion of this commemoration, extend their warmest congratulations and respectful best wishes to His Excellency the President of the Republic, the Government, and the people of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, and reaffirm their commitment to strengthening administrative and institutional capacities to serve the development of the African continent.