Blue Planet Fund: São Tomé and Príncipe
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Department's press release entitled UK backs communities on the ocean's front line with £13.9 million investment, published on 17 June 2026, what assessment she has made of the contribution of UK-funded programmes to eliminating poverty in São Tomé and Príncipe.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Through PROBLUE, a World Bank multi-donor trust fund supported by the UK, the World Bank has invested $4.4 million in the Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Tourism Project (WACA+) in São Tomé and Príncipe, unlocking a further $14.4 million in public and private co-funding. The project will run until 2029 and aims to strengthen coastal resilience, sustainable livelihoods and long-term blue economy growth across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The project in São Tomé and Príncipe aligns with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty on a liveable planet. PROBLUE’s model supports countries to build sustainable blue economies that create jobs in coastal communities, improve livelihoods and protect ocean ecosystems.
The World Bank oversees the project’s delivery, providing consolidated annual reports and case studies to contributing donors. The impact of the UK’s contribution to PROBLUE is assessed through Annual Reviews which are available on GOV.UK here.
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