Lomé hosted, on April 18, 2026, under the high patronage of His Excellency Mr. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Council, a High-Level Meeting dedicated to the New Togo–Sahel Strategy (2026–2028). This initiative is part of the continuation of Togo’s engagement in the Sahel in a regional context marked by profound geopolitical reconfigurations, the persistence of security threats and their extension towards the Gulf of Guinea States, as well as the emergence of new institutional dynamics, notably the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
HIGH-LEVEL PARTICIPANTS
The Meeting brought together:
🔹 H.E. Prof. Robert Dussey – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Togo
🔹 H.E.M. Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso
🔹 H.E.M. Abdoulaye Diop – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali
🔹 H.E.M. Bakary Yaou Sangare – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger
🔹 H.E. Dr Leonardo Santos Simão – Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel
🔹 H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray – President of the ECOWAS Commission
🔹 H.E. Dr Mamadou Tangara – High Representative of the AU for the Sahel
🔹 H.E. Amb Ado Elhadji Abou – Executive Secretary of CEN-SAD
🔹 H.E.M. João Cravinho – EU Special Representative for the Sahel
INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL ENVOYS
The Special Envoys for the Sahel region from Canada, Spain, France, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, the Deputy Special Envoy of the United Kingdom, representatives of the Special Envoys from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Malta, Hungary, Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Togo, financial institutions, experts and civil society representatives also participated in the proceedings.
STRATEGIC PLATFORM
The High-Level Meeting served as a strategic platform for exchanges and dialogue between the Togolese Government, Sahel States, regional and international organizations, Special Envoys for the Sahel, experts and civil society around the New Togo–Sahel Strategy. It enabled the sharing of a renewed vision of Togo’s engagement in the Sahel, adapted to current geopolitical and security realities, and oriented towards strengthening regional stability and cooperation between Sahel, Gulf of Guinea and West African countries.
THE FIVE STRUCTURAL PILLARS
The New Strategy is built around five pillars:
1. Strengthening political dialogue between Togo and the Sahel States
2. Consolidating good neighborliness and peaceful coexistence relations
3. Promoting sub-regional economic integration (opening up landlocked areas, logistics corridors)
4. Strengthening security cooperation and the fight against terrorism
5. Consolidating regional and international diplomacy
CONTINUITY AND DEEPENING
The New Strategy, which is rooted in a spirit of adaptation and shared responsibility, will serve as a framework for Togo’s engagement in the Sahel over the next three (3) years. It extends and deepens the achievements of the 2021 Strategy which has guided Togo’s commitment to mediation, peace and regional stability over the past four years.
TOGO’S LEADERSHIP PRAISED
Participants praised Togo’s renewed commitment, driven by the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, and emphasized the relevance of a proactive, integrated and pragmatic approach to the complex challenges of the Sahel.
They highlighted Togo’s unique role as an actor of dialogue, mediation and facilitation between Sahel States, particularly those of the AES, and other regional and international actors.
SHARED VISION
Participants expressed their conviction that the Sahel, beyond its challenges, constitutes a strategic space full of opportunities, whose potential can only be fully realized through collective mobilization, a shared vision and a resolute commitment to sustainable and inclusive development.
They emphasized the importance of a close articulation between the security, economic and diplomatic dimensions, the only approach capable of producing lasting results.
ALLIANCE OF SAHEL STATES
The countries of the Alliance of Sahel States recalled the strategic nature of their relations with Togo which are rooted in a very ancient history, in the ideals of Pan-Africanism, solidarity and fraternity. They reaffirmed their willingness to collaborate closely with Togo in the implementation of the New Strategy.
PARTNERS’ ENGAGEMENT
International partners expressed their readiness to support the implementation of the New Togo–Sahel Strategy through multifaceted support.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Togo expressed its gratitude to all participants, including the Alliance of Sahel States, sub-regional, regional and international organizations, Special Envoys for the Sahel region and other international partners, experts and civil society representatives, for their contribution to the success of this Meeting, which helped to strengthen the shared understanding of the issues, consolidate political and diplomatic dialogue, and identify concrete avenues for cooperation in favor of regional stability.
