Togo-Sahel: An exemplary economic integration dynamic promoting regional solidarity

At the heart of a transforming West Africa, Togo is increasingly establishing itself as a hub of stability, logistical innovation, and pan-African solidarity. This transformation is especially evident in the country’s strengthened economic ties with the Sahel states, in a regional context marked by significant diplomatic and economic shifts.

According to data from the BCEAO, in 2023, Togo exported over 433 billion CFA francs worth of goods to its UEMOA partners—an impressive performance that reflects a clear, structured vision focused on regional integration and inclusive development.

This momentum is particularly visible in Togo’s relations with the Sahel countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—now united within the Confederation of Sahel States (AES). Together, these three nations account for over 66% of Togo’s intra-UEMOA exports, confirming Togo’s role as a regional logistics and trade platform. Despite the sanctions imposed on AES countries following their withdrawal from ECOWAS, Togo demonstrated exemplary pan-African solidarity by maintaining trade flows and serving as an economic bridge to the Sahelian hinterland.

The modernized Autonomous Port of Lomé, now one of the most competitive in the sub-region, embodies this transformation ambition. It facilitates the movement of essential goods inland while offering Togolese citizens sustainable economic opportunities. Through targeted investment policies, proactive economic diplomacy, and modernized governance, the country is now standing out as a model of resilience and regional leadership.

Moreover, the substantial trade surplus (226 billion CFA francs) highlights the effectiveness of the reforms led by the authorities, particularly in infrastructure development, taxation, trade facilitation, and economic diversification.

Today, under the determined leadership of President of the Council Faure Gnassingbé, Togo is positioning itself as a key player in West African integration, pursuing an inclusive, supportive, and firmly pan-African economic strategy. The foundations being laid promise a future of shared prosperity—not only for the Togolese people but for the entire sub-region.