The Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations, Rodrigo Oliveira, welcomed, on behalf of the President of the Government, the President of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of Príncipe, João Cassandra, at an audience that took place today.

During the audience to exchange compliments, held at the Conceição Palace in Ponta Delgada, the government officials stressed the relevance of the collaboration between the self-government bodies of both autonomous regions in the definition of the political and administrative statute of Príncipe Island as well as in the development of structuring legislative documents of that recent autonomous region.

The event was also attended by the Regional Secretary of Finance and Public Administration of Príncipe Island, Júlio Pereira Mendes, and the Inspector-General of Finance, Raul Viana. During the meeting, the Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency for External Relations highlighted "the clear and common purpose of continuing and developing the cooperation between the Regions of the Azores and Príncipe."

"In addition to having a close relation thanks to Lusophony, we are brought closer by the geographical features that influence the development and the fundamental statute for the exercise of political power, i.e., insularity and autonomy," mentioned Rodrigo Oliveira. The government official added that "the Autonomous Region of the Azores considers Portuguese-speaking countries and, in particular, their respective autonomous regions as a natural and privileged dimension of their external relations."

The island of Príncipe, with an extension of 142 km2, and the island of S. Tomé (859 km2) make up the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. This island is also an autonomous region of that country, with a regional Parliament and Government.