Togo does not rule out the possibility of joining the Sahel States Alliance (AES), Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated in an interview on Thursday with Voxafrica television.
"It is the decision of the President of the Republic," Dussey responded when asked about Togo's potential membership in the AES, adding that, in his view, "it is not impossible."
"Ask the Togolese people if Togo wants to join the AES, and you will see their response. I can tell you they will say yes," he continued. Excerpts from the interview were made public on Thursday, with the full version set to air later in the evening.
The three AES member states—Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—are currently governed by military regimes that oppose French influence. In January 2024, they announced their decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organization that currently includes 15 countries and which they accuse of being manipulated by the former colonial power.
This withdrawal will take effect on January 29.
By strengthening ties with Togo, the landlocked AES nations could secure a strategic access to the sea via Togo’s coastline and the Port of Lomé, allowing them to facilitate imports and exports.
Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which expelled the French military from their territories, are collaborating to counter frequent jihadist attacks while also forging closer military and political ties with other global powers, notably Russia.
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, in power since 2005 following the rule of his father, has gradually positioned himself as a mediator in the various political crises that have shaken West Africa in recent years.
At the same time, Gnassingbé has also been working to strengthen ties with the Anglophone West: Togo joined the Commonwealth in 2022 and has been engaging with Washington to benefit from development aid programs.
