Edite Ramos da Costa Tenjua (born 31 December 1972) is a São Tomé and Príncipe lawyer and businesswoman who was

minister of justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...

from 2012 to 2014, served on the country's

Constitutional Court A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with constitutional law. Its main authority is to rule on whether laws that are challenged are in fact unconstitutional, i.e. whether they conflict with constitutionally established ...

from 2019 to 2020. She has been

minister of foreign affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...

since September 2020.

Early life and education

Tenjua was born in Africa on 31 December 1972 and moved to

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

in 1976. She has a law degree from the

University of Lisbon The University of Lisbon (ULisboa; pt, Universidade de Lisboa, ) is a public research university in Lisbon, and the largest university in Portugal. It was founded in 2013, from the merger of two previous public universities located in Lisbon, th ...

, graduating in 1999.

Career

Tenjua practiced as a lawyer in Portugal and

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

, before becoming director of the Tax and Legal Department of

KPMG KPMG International Limited (or simply KPMG) is a multinational professional services network, and one of the Big Four accounting organizations. Headquartered in Amstelveen, Netherlands, although incorporated in London, England, KPMG is a net ...

Angola. In 2004, she joined Joint Authority Nigeria-S. Tomé and Principe as a lawyer, managing its legal unit from 2008 until 2010. Tenjua is an entrepreneur and since 2006 the owner of TEN JUA Collection Fashion Brand, with stores in Sao Tome,

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, and Portugal. She has also written several children's books including''Tita Catita''. She heads a foundation called El-Shaddai, which works with disadvantaged children in Africa to emphasise education. Tenjua was

from 2012 to 2014. In 2019, she was the petroleum affairs advisor to the

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

of São Tomé and Príncipe, before being elected to the Constitutional Court after three judges were dismissed following a disciplinary process after being accused by Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada of taking bribes in a case related to the sale of brewery ''Cervejeira Rosema'' to an Angolan company. Tenjua was appointed foreign minister by Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus on 21 September, replacing Elsa Teixeira Pinto.

Personal life

Tenjua is a Christian.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tenjua, Edite Living people 1972 births University of Lisbon alumni KPMG people 21st-century women politicians Women government ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe Justice ministers Female justice ministers Foreign Ministers of São Tomé and Príncipe Female foreign ministers 21st-century São Tomé and Príncipe politicians