Togo is exploring the possibility of joining the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), according to Foreign Minister Robert Dussey. In a Thursday interview with Voxafrica, Dussey said the decision ultimately rests with President Faure Gnassingbé, though he acknowledged that such a move is “not impossible.”
The minister also suggested that the Togolese public would likely support AES membership, inviting observers to “ask the people” to gauge national sentiment.
Should Togo join, the AES which includes landlocked Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso would gain access to the Atlantic via Togo’s coast and the strategic port of Lomé. This would be a significant logistical advantage for trade and goods movement.
The three current AES members have announced their departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing undue influence from former colonial powers, particularly France. Their pivot away from ECOWAS marks a broader geopolitical shift in the region.
