Togo diplomatic and governance developments

Togo has engaged in several diplomatic and governance initiatives to strengthen international and domestic relations.

On the international stage, Togo and the United Arab Emirates signed a bilateral agreement to eliminate visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports. Announced by Foreign Minister Robert Dussey during the 81st United Nations General Assembly, the measure aims to facilitate official travel and accelerate cooperation in investment, logistics, and infrastructure.

The Togolese President has continued to receive credentials from new ambassadors to expand bilateral ties. Following initial meetings with representatives from Germany and Egypt, the President has since accredited new ambassadors from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the European Union (EU).

Discussions with the DRC focused on logistics, air transport, and trade, with acknowledgment of Togo’s role as an African Union mediator in the eastern DRC crisis. The UAE ambassador expressed a commitment to consolidating existing partnerships, while the EU ambassador emphasized the importance of the partnership with Togo. Further talks with the Egyptian ambassador centered on economic cooperation, trade, medicine, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Domestically, the Minister of Territorial Administration, Local Governance and Customary Affairs met with the executive bureau of the Network of Elected Local Women of Africa (REFELA-Togo). Led by President Rachel Marie-Cécile K. Woedina Ywassa, the delegation presented its strategic orientations, and the Minister encouraged the network to increase female visibility and participation in public affairs and local governance.