[Lomé, Togo] —
The Togolese government is considering joining the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a security and development pact created by Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali in September 2023 to improve regional cooperation and stability. Foreign Minister Robert Dussey told Voxafrica on January 16 that President Faure Gnassingbé would make the final decision but that membership was “not impossible.”
The AES members agreed in May 2024 to move toward a confederation to formalize their collaboration on security and economic development. Togo’s potential entry would expand the bloc’s reach across West Africa.
Dussey lamented Africa’s lack of genuine sovereignty and said the continent is often used to serve the interests of major powers. He argued that the rise of Colonel Assimi Goïta, head of Mali’s transitional government, was an opportunity for the Sahel region to assert itself.
He also recalled that during the early stages of the Ukraine conflict African states faced pressure from external powers to choose sides, even though the continent, he noted, “is not against anyone.”
Source: Sputnik Africa – Togo Could Say ‘Yes’ to Joining AES, Country’s Foreign Minister Says
