When Maria do Carmo Silveira became Prime Minister of São Tomé and Príncipe in 2005, she took office during a tense political period. Her predecessor had resigned, public-sector workers were striking, and the country was debating how to manage its expected oil revenues. Silveira became the country’s second woman prime minister.
She came to the role with a strong background in economics and public finance. Before becoming prime minister, she had served as governor of the Central Bank of São Tomé and Príncipe. As prime minister, she also took responsibility for planning and finance, making economic stability one of her main priorities.
Her government worked to settle the public-sector wage dispute, strengthen financial management, and build closer economic ties with Angola. At the same time, São Tomé and Príncipe was beginning to explore offshore oil with Nigeria, raising both hopes for new revenue and concerns about how it would be managed.
Silveira’s premiership lasted less than a year. After the 2006 parliamentary election, her party lost ground and she left office.
But her public career continued. She later returned as governor of the Central Bank from 2011 to 2016, where she worked on monetary policy, financial stability, and economic reform.
From 2016 to 2018, she served as Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, expanding her work from national economic policy to regional diplomacy. She has also supported women and children through the Fórum Mulher São-Tomense.
In 2025, the CPLP recognized her public service and regional leadership with the José Aparecido de Oliveira Prize.
What happens when women lead?
In Silveira’s case, economic expertise reaches the prime minister’s office, public service continues beyond politics, and leadership grows from a small island state to a wider international community.
