Madame Vice-President,
We extend a warm welcome to the delegation of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. We acknowledge that country’s commitment to the Universal Periodic Review and the progress achieved during the last cycle in the promotion and protection of human rights.
We welcome the adoption in 2023 of the School Feeding Law, which establishes that 10 per cent of the State budget allocated to education is assigned to the National School Feeding and Health Programme (PNASE), thereby strengthening the realization of the right to food.
In a constructive and respectful spirit, we make three recommendations:
- To maintain cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms of universal application, in a non-selective and non-discriminatory manner.
- To continue implementing the National Health Development Plan in order to further strengthen the health system.
- To continue ongoing efforts to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for the promotion and protection of human rights.
We wish São Tomé and Príncipe every success in this review and in the implementation of the recommendations it has accepted.