Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ghana officially adopted and signed a joint declaration on national security and refugee protection in Lomé.
The signing took place on the second day of the ministerial meeting of the Regional Dialogue on the subject, held in the Togolese capital.
The initiative, launched in March 2024 by the five countries with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), was a response to growing challenges faced by these states. Since the worsening of the security and humanitarian context in the Sahel, they have been dealing with population influxes and increasing risks of territorial destabilization.
The goal was to concretely address measures that reconcile national security needs with refugee protection imperatives.
“The Lomé Declaration calls us to action. May it be a flame to guide our steps, a vow we carry in our hearts and deeds,” urged the President of the National Assembly, Kodjo Adedze, representing the President of the Council, following the signing of the document by the ministers of security and interior of the participating countries.
“We reaffirm our commitment to better human security for refugees and host communities,” stated Barrie Freeman, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), who was also present for the occasion.
