Togo National Assembly approves ratification of IOMed treaty

The National Assembly of Togo has definitively adopted a bill authorizing the ratification of the convention establishing the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed). The vote, held on October 14, 2026, resulted in 95 votes in favor and one abstention, following a similar approval by the Senate on October 13.

Ratification allows Togo to formally join the treaty, which aims to promote the peaceful resolution of international disputes through mediation. The organization handles four categories of disputes: those between states, those involving third-party states, those between a state and a foreign national, and international commercial disputes between private parties. Togo is one of 35 founding members, alongside other African nations including Benin, Gabon, and Nigeria.

The legislative process drew internal scrutiny during the session. Deputy Kafui Adjamagbo-Johnson abstained from the vote, citing a perceived contradiction between Togo’s international mediation efforts and its domestic handling of civil liberties and a January 2026 ruling by the ECOWAS Court of Justice regarding political parties and civil society organizations.