Both Brazil and São Tomé and Príncipe were united for three hundred years as part of the Portuguese Empire.

As part of the Portuguese Empire, São Tomé and Príncipe was used as launching point during the Atlantic slave trade from continental Africa to Brazil.

During his visit, President da Silva inaugurated the Brazilian embassy in São Tomé and signed cooperation agreements with projects such as Bolsa Família, family farming, literacy, education and sports.

President da Silva also made the symbolic delivery of a batch of 2,592 books donated by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture to São Tomé.

[1] The Brazilian Cooperation Agency assists and develops projects in several diverse areas in São Tomé and Príncipe including infrastructure, agriculture, literacy, health and HIV/AIDS prevention.