UNESCO World Heritage: São Tomé and Príncipe scored its first-ever UNESCO World Heritage inscription this week, as the World Heritage Committee in Busan added 25 new sites worldwide (19 cultural, 5 natural, 1 mixed), bringing the total to 1,273; the move matters beyond prestige because it can unlock conservation support and stronger international visibility for the islands’ heritage. Citizenship-by-investment: The government’s “golden passport” is now being widely reported: citizenship is offered for a $90,000 contribution to the National Transformation Fund (plus fees), aimed at funding education, healthcare, energy and infrastructure amid persistent energy shortages and weak growth. Visa access pressure: The U.S. made its refundable “visa bond” programme permanent on Aug. 3, potentially requiring up to $20,000 from applicants from 50 countries including São Tomé and Príncipe for B1/B2 visas—while also publishing a separate Panama visa-free list that includes São Tomé and Príncipe among only nine African countries. Diplomacy: Serbia’s foreign ministry and prime minister met São Tomé and Príncipe’s leadership in Belgrade, highlighting support on international positions (including Kosovo) and offering cooperation in education, health, agriculture, digitalisation and e-government. Tourism positioning: Separate coverage frames São Tomé and Príncipe’s tourism model as conservation-led and “low crowd” by design, aligning with the country’s push to attract higher-value visitors rather than mass arrivals.