New Conservation Trust Fund Launched in São Tomé and Príncipe with Rio Impact as Technical Lead

InFiNe member Rio Impact has successfully launched the EcoTela Fund, a groundbreaking conservation trust fund for São Tomé and Príncipe, often called “the Galapagos of Africa.”

The STP EcoTela Fund was officially launched on May 21, 2025, during a ceremony presided over by the President of the Republic at the Palacio dos Congressos in São Tomé. This innovative financial mechanism is designed to provide sustainable, long-term financing for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and the development of green and blue economies in the island nation.

São Tomé and Príncipe faces significant challenges in financing the management of its protected areas, despite harboring exceptional levels of endemic species. The EcoTela Fund addresses this critical gap by supporting both marine and terrestrial protected area management and funding initiatives led by civil society organizations and the private sector.

Rio Impact’s Leading Role

As technical lead for the process, Rio Impact played a crucial role in the fund’s development. Under the supervision of its director and principal expert, Rio Impact coordinated a team of five experts, including two based locally, to:

Facilitate dialogue among national stakeholders, including sectoral ministries, civil society, private sector, and technical and financial partners;
Define the fund’s strategy, objectives, and institutional and legal structure;
Develop financial and operational mechanisms ensuring rigorous, transparent, and locally-adapted management;
Establish fundraising strategies and support implementation;
Train the fund management team and governance body members.

Strategic Partnerships

The fund’s establishment represents a partnership between the Government of Sao Tomé and Principe, UNDP, BirdLife International, and Rio Impact with financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and co-financing from the Cartier Foundation for Nature and the European Union.

Following the launch, Rio Impact will continue supporting the pilot financing phase for local initiatives while actively contributing to resource mobilization for fund capitalization. The fund welcomes new public and private partners committed to protecting São Tomé and Príncipe’s exceptional biodiversity.

Source: Rio Impact

New Conservation Trust Fund Launched in São Tomé and Príncipe with Rio Impact as Technical Lead