Africa is going through one of the most turbulent periods in its recent history. In Sudan, the war is entering its fourth year: more than 20 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and the 2026 response plan, estimated by the United Nations at $2.9 billion, remains only 16% funded. In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a multidimensional crisis combines armed violence, the collapse of humanitarian funding, and an Ebola outbreak. In the Sahel, jihadist insecurity in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger is now spilling over into the coastal states of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo. Faced with these crises, the United Nations Security Council and the African Union have continued to hold coordination meetings without managing to unlock responses commensurate with the scale of the needs. It is against this backdrop that the question of Africa’s silence has emerged in the public debate.
A Self-Critical Stance, Without “Self-Flagellation”
Questioned about this silence which Alain Foka described as “deafening” in the face of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused by the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, the resulting surge in oil prices, and xenophobic violence against Africans in South Africa Robert Dussey refused to deny the reality. The Togolese foreign minister acknowledged a “form of shame” and stated that Africans do not sufficiently stand up for their own continent. According to him, the visions of the founding fathers of independence are no longer being respected by the current generation of leaders. However, he was careful to distinguish this self-criticism from any posture of self-flagellation, stressing that there are still leaders, intellectuals, and officials who remain committed to the future of the continent.
On the causes of this silence, Robert Dussey referred to a mixture of fear, cowardice, ignorance, and unconsciousness, without naming any other African leaders. He affirmed that the responsibility for restoring Africa’s voice lies first and foremost with Africans themselves.
An Extraordinary Meeting Scheduled in Lomé on July 3
To move beyond mere observations, the Togolese minister announced that an extraordinary meeting of the African Political Alliance will be held in Lomé on July 3, 2026. He presents this consultation platform among African states as a complementary tool to an African Union that he considers too burdened by bureaucracy. The meeting will focus on the economic, financial, and security repercussions of the Middle East crisis on African countries. African states and Gulf countries are expected to take part in order to initiate a shared dialogue.