Togo: A country that exports peace and security
Active a little more each year on the international diplomatic scene, Togo will continue, despite the many threats, to promote and export peace and mediation, wherever needed, such is the vision of the President of the Togolese Republic, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, Head of State.
Togo has known moments of political crisis like any other State, but the farsightedness of the Head of State has always enabled the Togolese to sit down and discuss. The Head of State wants to extend this vision of peace to Togo’s neighbours, who are currently going through a difficult period in terms of politics and security.
Togo, having understood that the situation prevailing in the Sahel countries, particularly Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which threatens to ensnare the coastal countries, must be of concern to everyone, has sided early with these countries in one way or another to bring about a peaceful outcome.
As proof of this, faced with the situation in Niger, where ECOWAS was threatening military intervention, Togo made no secret of its intentions by opposing this risky initiative. The head of Togolese diplomacy hammered it home again at the 78ᵉ session of the UN General Assembly in these terms: «Togo cannot abandon its sister countries that are in crisis, war and political transition, which constitute moments of major uncertainty, and mediation and facilitation efforts at regional and continental level will be stepped up throughout the year. Togolese diplomacy values African expertise in the search for solutions to African problems, and this is the best way for Africa to limit the external interference that has contributed in recent years to fanning the flames of tension and putting the continent in difficulty».
With this in mind, the Togolese capital, recently named «Capital of Peace, Mediation, Dialogue and Tolerance», will host the first edition of the «Lome Peace and Security Forum» on 21 and 22 October 2023, on the initiative of H.E. Mr Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Republic.
This approach is part of the dynamic of African initiatives that respond to the need for the continent to work harder to consolidate peace and build collective security in an environment marked by the emergence of new areas of tension and the complexity of security challenges due to the spread of the threat of terrorism and current transnational organised crime.
It is to be hoped that the peace that reigns in Togo will spread to neighbouring countries that are currently experiencing war, so that this dark page in their history can be closed once and for all, and so that the real issues of development can be tackled.
