Sao Tome and Russia Keep a Military Pact

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SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE · RUSSIA

Sao Tome and Russia have had a military cooperation pact since 2024, and the record shows ship visits, parliamentary approval and open political argument. For US readers, it puts a Russian military link on a small island near Gulf of Guinea oil and shipping routes.

The pact was signed in St Petersburg on Wednesday 24 April 2024 and runs for an indefinite period. Portugal, the former colonial power, voiced concern, while the government that signed it called the deal routine.

What the 2024 Pact Covers

Sao Tome signed a technical-military cooperation agreement with Russia in St Petersburg on Wednesday 24 April 2024. The defence ministry confirmed it runs for an indefinite period.

A government source said it covers training, the use of weapons and equipment, and visits by Russian aircraft, warships and vessels. The Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a US Defense Department institute, says it also covers arms supply, logistics and joint exercises.

The pact was not published at first, and the MLSTP party said in May 2024 that it learned of it from foreign reports. The government says the National Assembly approved it in 2025.

Sao Tome and Russia Since 2024

Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister and a special envoy of President Vladimir Putin, visited Sao Tome from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 July 2024. He met President Carlos Vila Nova, then Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada and Foreign Minister Gareth Guadalupe.

Bogdanov said his aim was to see all existing agreements implemented, and he announced 15 more annual scholarships for Sao Tome students. Portugal’s foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, had said in May 2024 that Lisbon was surprised and concerned by the pact.

Trovoada replied that the country is sovereign and that no one will dictate how it deals with Russia. He added that Sao Tome had let Portugal vote against Russia on its behalf at the UN General Assembly.

The Russian amphibious assault ship Aleksandr Otrakovsky made a working visit to Sao Tome from 3 to 5 January 2026, the defence ministry said. The ministry said the visit included a meeting with Defence Minister Horácio de Sousa.

Critics said parliament was not told, but the government said it had sent the proposal to the National Assembly. It added that the Assembly closed on 31 December 2025 without following up.

In Plain English, Who Is Who

The Gulf of Guinea is the stretch of Atlantic coast between West and Central Africa, with offshore oil and busy shipping lanes. Sao Tome and Principe lies in it, with about 240,000 people on two islands.

Parliament, called the National Assembly, has 55 seats. In the 27 September 2026 election the MLSTP won 24 seats and the ADI 23, so neither has a majority.

A technical-military agreement covers training, equipment and visits, and it is not a defence alliance. The descriptions given by officials mention port calls and aircraft visits, not a permanent base.

Where Sao Tome Stands Today

President Carlos Vila Nova won a second term in July 2026 and was sworn in on Thursday 3 September. Portugal’s prime minister, Luís Montenegro, attended and spoke of a bilateral summit on education, health, energy and finance.

No party won a majority on 27 September, and Vila Nova said on Thursday 15 October he would name a government within 30 days. Whoever leads it will inherit the Russia pact, as our Sao Tome and Principe Explained 2026 guide describes the political split.

What It Means for You

The Africa Center says Russia has sought closer ties as part of a push to expand its naval presence in the Gulf of Guinea. It adds that Russia has offered radars and drones to help watch the islands’ 160,000 square kilometres of waters.

US travel advice for the islands was Level 1, the lowest warning, at the State Department’s review of 25 September 2024. More background sits in our Central Africa guide and in our report on the unratified Russian naval base in Sudan.

What Is Not Known

The full text of the 2024 pact has not been published, so its exact limits on bases, weapons and funding are unclear. No official record shows who represented Sao Tome and Principe at the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow on 28 and 29 October 2026.

It is also unclear whether Sao Tome has accepted Russia’s offer of radars and drones for its waters. Neither government has said whether a new Russian agreement is planned.

More: Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Sao Tome and Russia military pact?

It is a technical-military cooperation agreement signed on 24 April 2024 for an indefinite period. Officials say it covers training, weapons and equipment, and visits by Russian aircraft and warships.

Does Russia have a base in Sao Tome?

No base has been announced, and officials describe port calls and aircraft visits instead. The full text of the pact has not been published.

Did parliament approve the pact?

The government says the National Assembly approved it in 2025. Critics said in May 2024 that parliament should have been involved before it took effect.

Has Portugal objected?

Portugal’s foreign minister said in May 2024 that Lisbon was surprised and concerned. Portugal’s prime minister attended the president’s swearing-in on 3 September 2026 and spoke of a possible bilateral summit.

Sources: Sao Tome and Principe, Ministry of Defence and Internal Order, confirmation of the 24 April 2024 agreement and statement on the Russian ship visit, May 2024 and January 2026; Government of Portugal, news release on the Prime Minister’s visit to the inauguration in Sao Tome, 3 September 2026; Africa Center for Strategic Studies, Sao Tome and Principe elections 2026, 2026; President of Sao Tome and Principe, statement on forming a government, 15 October 2026.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error