This Sunday, the President of Sao Tome asked his fellow citizens to renew hope and optimism to build a stronger, fairer and more resilient nation starting in 2024, given the challenges faced in 2023.
In his New Year’s message, Carlos Vila Nova encouraged the people of São Tomé to start 2024 with “courage and determination” by focusing on “a future of peace, unity, tolerance, compassion, humility and great solidarity.”
The Sao Tome president also expressed hope for a “future of prosperity, equality, opportunity for all” and achievements that will require “hard work done with greater determination, more dedication and an organized manner” to achieve better results.
“Let us join our efforts in building a stronger, more resilient, fairer and more resilient nation. Together we can achieve great achievements and shape a more promising future for our children and future generations,” said the head of state of Sao Tome.
Carlos Vila Nova assessed 2023 as a year that “brought enormous challenges to the majority of the inhabitants of São Tomé in their daily struggle for well-being.”
The head of state acknowledged “that the challenges faced throughout this year have been significant,” highlighting the “exponential increase in the cost of living and the associated difficulties.”
Added to the economic situation of “large imbalances” characterized by “low growth, high inflation, energy crisis, foreign exchange shortages and excessive debt” were “difficulties in negotiations with the Bretton Woods institutions, especially the IMF.” [Fundo Monetário Internacional]which created more pressure on the economy.”
Vila Nova emphasized that “since the program with the IMF leads the country to certain external financing, it is absolutely appropriate to continue negotiations in order to find solutions to a possible agreement.”
“On the other hand, it is extremely important to continue to work, concentrating energy and synergies, especially in the export sector and the foreign exchange collection sector,” added Carlos Vila Nova, lamenting that “the introduction of VAT and its misuse” by many economic operators has “strongly impacted the purchasing power of the people of São Tomé.”
The President of Sao Tome also drew attention to the “high reported rates of sexual violence, especially against minors and the elderly, as well as violence in all forms and against all age groups.”
Vila Nova said it was necessary for ongoing justice reform to make greater progress in 2024 and “be able to respond”, especially to cases such as those of elderly people accused of witchcraft, who were “often lynched in the public square under indifferent and silent from the perspective of both the authorities and observers, who, although they are not the real perpetrators of these crimes, do not cease to be so through inaction.”
Carlos Vila Nova stressed that 2023 was “positively marked” by the way the country and its people welcomed the 14th summit of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), held in September in the capital São Tomé under the theme “Youth and Sustainable Development”.
The head of state highlighted the “spirit of hospitality and professionalism that made this important meeting a success,” calling for this to continue throughout 2024, when the country will “host and chair several other meetings” of the CPLP as part of the presidential program. -tempore took over Sao Tome.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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