Search Results
The government faced increasing pressure from two sides: first, the effects of the Russian war against Ukraine on the world market led to dramatic price increases for grain and fuel; second, for the first time there were major jihadist attacks on national territory, which claimed the lives of numerous members of the security forces and villagers. Both effects led to calls for increased state intervention. Price caps on fuel and subsidies for food helped to overcome the immediate crisis, which calmed burgeoning social unrest. The state of emergency imposed after the terrorist attacks and extended until 2023 was used to further restrict freedom of expression and assembly. This also hampered the work of opposition parties to mobilise their supporters for the 2023 regional elections. At the regional and international levels, Togo continued to be very active. On the one hand, it acted as a mediator in the Mali conflict; on the other hand, it was active in forging new alliances, for example through its successful admission to the Commonwealth. Due to its intensive regional market integration, the country was able to restore its economic performance, which had collapsed during the Covid-19 pandemic, almost to its former level. However, the growing national debt and the faltering reform process did not bode well for the future.
The president and the government further consolidated their power. Critics were muzzled or imprisoned. The divided opposition and weak civil society were not able to come up with a political or social counter-project. A political dialogue between part of the opposition and the government did not lead to a pacification of society. Human and civil rights were not high on the agenda. Intensive diplomatic initiatives raised Togo’s profile at international and regional levels. Reforms and stability contributed to the continued growth of financial support for economic development. The country coped better than its neighbours with the crisis caused by Covid-19. This was due to the strong regional export orientation and the increasing revenues from the deep-sea port of Lomé, which now ranks first in West Africa.