In remarks made to Lusa on the sidelines of the 24th meeting of ministers of defense from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) held in São Tomé on Thursday, Nuno Lemos Pires stated that the first batch was delivered this week, including complete uniforms comprising helmets, boots, backpacks, and sleeping bags.
“This is another opportunity to demonstrate how this relationship works. It’s about providing what’s requested, providing what’s necessary. When necessary, we are here to do it,” he emphasized.
Nuno Lemos Pires, who represented the National Defense Minister of Portugal at the CPLP ministers’ meeting, highlighted that the bilateral relationship with São Tomé and Príncipe “is very old and very strong,” and in the area of defense, it encompasses all domains, specifically “on land, in the air, and at sea.”
The official noted that “one of the most modern aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force, a P-3 Orion […], is carrying out sovereignty missions alongside the people of São Tomé.”
“It is conducting surveillance, search and rescue, and piracy monitoring every day, flying about seven to eight hours daily over the waters and territorial sea of São Tomé,” he stressed.
“At the same time, there are two vessels from the Portuguese Navy. There is a fast inspection boat, the Centauro, and a high-speed vessel, the Príncipe, which are navigating every day, 375 days a year, with mixed crews, half Portuguese, half from São Tomé and Príncipe, conducting inspections, sovereignty, search and rescue, transportation […], all that is needed,” he added.
The General Director of National Defense Policy emphasized that Portugal has also invested in the capacity building of São Tomé security and military forces. Last year, it conducted the captain promotion course, and this year, a sergeants’ training course is underway for both the coast guard and the army.
“We are conducting specialization courses that São Tomé requested, covering areas from the music band to specialist diving courses, besides donating equipment, drone operators, unmanned systems; we are conducting a wide range that includes military health, and all these are actions we always carry out, in great coordination, in an open spirit with São Tomé and Príncipe, with reciprocity in São Tomé and Portugal because we are truly brothers,” he said.
According to the General Director of National Defense Policy of Portugal, the relationship with São Tomé and Príncipe “is so ancient” that it has enabled the training of nearly 300 São Tomé individuals in Portugal, from the military academy to higher courses, and nearly 1,000 military personnel in São Tomé and Príncipe.
“This is a successful partnership, a brotherhood, on land, at sea, and in the air, all together, every day,” he emphasized.
Summarizing the 24th meeting of CPLP defense ministers, Nuno Lemos Pires suggested that the event demonstrated that the organization can always “do more and better.”
