The President of Sao Tome and Principe, Carlos Manuel Vila Nova, has arrived in the country on a two-day working visit at the invitation of his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
A statement by State House said Vila Nova arrived in the country on Thursday morning.
"President Manuel, who arrived at Entebbe International Airport at 2:00am this morning, was received by the Director General of External Security Organization (ESO), Ambassador Joseph Ocwet and Air Force Commandant, Lt Gen Charles Okidi," the brief statement said.
According to State House, during his stay, the Sao Tome and Principe president will hold bilateral talks with his host, President Museveni.
An island country found in Central Africa, Sao Tome and Principe consists of two main islands--São Tomé and Príncipe--and several rocky islets, including Rôlas, south of São Tomé island, and Caroço, Pedras, and Tinhosas, south of Príncipe
From the late 1400s Portugal began settling convicts on Sao Tome and establishing sugar plantations with the help of slaves from the mainland. The island was also important in the transshipment of slaves.
The colony's aspirations for independence were recognised after the 1974 coup in Portugal and at first the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe was the country's sole political party. However, the 1990 constitution created a multi-party democracy.
The island of Principe assumed autonomy in 1995.
The country hopes to reduce its dependence on donors and cocoa exports by exploiting offshore oil. It has strong links with Angola, which is a major business partner.
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The country with an area of 964sqkm has a population of 220,700 with Sao Tome as the capital.
The languages mostly spoken in the country include Portuguese, Spanish, Forro, Angolar, Principense.
Ugandans moving to Sao Tome and Principe aren't required to apply for a visa if they wish to go for short stays (tourism), but it's required to obtain an electronic travel authorization (eTA or eVisa) before entering Sao Tome and Principe.
The bilateral relations between the two countries are not that strong but it is hoped that the visit by the country's president to Uganda will open yet another chapter in the relations.
President Museveni has of late sought for bilateral relations with a number of country both on the African continent and outside it as one of the ways to attract investments into Uganda but to also seek for markets for Ugandan products.
