Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé is pursuing a calculated diplomatic balancing act, positioning himself as an arbiter between the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), while maintaining relations with France and the West alongside negotiations with Russia. This strategy is occurring amidst domestic tensions in Togo concerning rural land disputes and impunity.
Key points
- Russian Defense Minister Andreï Belousov met with Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé in Lomé on March 9, 2026, without official communication.
- Togolese rural areas face severe injustice due to land destruction by Fulani herders' cattle, leading to arrests of local youth in Fondah.
- Peasants in rural Togo report that disputes are often settled in favor of herders, fueling suspicions that the cattle belong to influential regime figures or military officials.
- The lack of rigorous regulation for transhumance in Togo is noted, contrasting with Benin's existing legal framework.
Why it matters
Gnassingbé's diplomatic maneuvering reflects broader geopolitical shifts in West Africa, while internal issues like rural conflict threaten national stability and food sovereignty.
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