The Constitutional Court of Togo welcomed two new members, Payadowa Boukpessi and Kwame Meyisso, on Saturday, April 20. They were sworn in during a ceremony attended by President Faure Gnassingbé.

"You will be joining the distinguished members of the Constitutional Court at a crucial time in our nation's life, where our country is making major choices that are decisive for the future of democracy and the rule of law", Gnassingbé told the new members at the swearing-in ceremony.

Payadowa Boukpessi, a former Minister of Territorial Administration, and Kwame Meyisso, the former President of the ECOWAS Court of Auditors, are among nine members of the Constitutional Court. 

According to Article 100 of the Togolese Constitution, the Court consists of nine members with good reputations, appointed for a non-renewable six-year term. The Court has the power to resolve disputes related to presidential, legislative, and senatorial elections, as well as referendums, ensuring the Constitution's provisions are upheld.

Esaïe Edoh

After a second reading, the Togolese Assembly approved a new Constitution on April 19, 2024. The vote was decisive, with 87 members backing the proposal, surpassing the required four-fifths majority.

This transition from the Fourth to the Fifth Republic marks a pivotal moment in Togo's political landscape. The initial draft of the new Constitution sparked intense debates nationwide, prompting President Faure Gnassingbé to call for a second review by Parliament. After extensive national consultations, the revised text was endorsed, incorporating some adjustments.

A four-year Presidential term

Key changes include a shift from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary system, with clearer guidelines for presidential candidacy and the establishment of distinct legal jurisdictions. Notably, the presidential term will now be four years, with the possibility of one re-election, and the President will take an oath before Congress.

Furthermore, the new Constitution defines the candidacy process for the President of the Council, outlines the status of former presidents, and introduces a Council of State and a tribunal of conflicts as regular courts.

This evolution underscores the heightened role of the National Assembly and the Senate in Togo's governance, signaling a more participatory approach to decision-making.

Before becoming official, the new Constitution requires approval from the current head of state. Its adoption precedes the upcoming legislative and regional elections scheduled for April 29.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The West African Economic and Monetary Union's central bank, BCEAO, reported a robust triple-digit increase in revenue from its external assets, reflecting its effective resource management. However, despite this surge, the gains fell short of the potential returns had the funds been invested in the accounts of the French Treasury.

In its latest financial report, BCEAO revealed that its external assets yielded CFA177 billion ($287.3 million) for the fiscal year 2023, marking a significant 112% increase from the previous year.

This marks the second consecutive year since BCEAO started to manage its entire foreign currency reserves outside the French Treasury's accounts. The hike in revenue was fueled by various factors, including improved returns from assets denominated in currencies other than those of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), witnessing a notable uptick of 139%. Furthermore, interest income surged by 74%, while a considerable portion of reserves, totaling CFA3,660.5 billion, was strategically invested in state-issued securities.

Despite this performance, the institution acknowledged that the gains realized were lower compared to the potential returns from investing in the French Treasury. An analysis by Ecofin Agency suggested that the majority of WAEMU countries’ reserves garnered an average yield of 0.94%. This lower return underscores a notable discrepancy, especially when contrasted with the 4.75% marginal lending facility rate offered by the European Central Bank. Currently, this rate remunerates foreign currency assets held in accounts by the Cemac countries and the Comoros, still operating under the former monetary cooperation framework with France.

Despite the institution's good fiscal performance, some areas remain opaque. The BCEAO's financial report did not provide sufficient insight into the management of the WAEMU's foreign exchange reserves, particularly regarding investment strategies. However, it is known that a significant portion of external assets was provided by the IMF, generating the highest foreign exchange revenues, totaling CFA85.13 billion, marking a significant increase of 133%.

At the end of the fiscal year, BCEAO's net profit was CFA315.6 billion. Apart from revenues generated by foreign currency assets, the institution benefited significantly from heightened refinancing demand by commercial banks. This demand resulted in a substantial increase in interest income, amounting to CFA329.4 billion, up 112%.

The Higher Authority of Audiovisual and Communication of Togo (HAAC) has temporarily suspended the issuance of accreditations for foreign media correspondents covering the legislative and regional elections on April 29, 2024.

This decision follows the apprehension and expulsion of journalist Thomas Pierre Dietrich, a special envoy from Africa XXI Channel, who, according to Togolese authorities, illegally entered the country and acted as an activist.

Despite the suspension of new accreditations, the Togolese media regulator urges foreign media correspondents already present to continue covering the electoral campaign.

HAAC's decision is also motivated by "serious shortcomings" it claims to have identified in the recent coverage of Togolese news by the RFI and France 24 media groups.

Esaïe Edoh

Northern African countries will also take part in the next Pan-African Congress. The forum will take place at the end of this year in Lomé. 

In preparation for the conference, the Northern African countries held on April 18 a hybrid ministerial conference. The Togolese and Moroccan Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Robert Dussey and Nasser Bourita, co-chaired the meeting. 

Focused on the theme "Pan-Africanism and Migration," the meeting resulted in the Rabat Declaration, aimed at strengthening the role of Regional Economic Communities in the actions of the African diaspora on the continent.

In practical terms, through the declaration, the North African region calls for "mobilizing migrants and Afro-descendants as part of the renewal of Pan-Africanism around the reform of multilateral institutions and better representation of Africa in global governance."

Through this declaration, North African countries aim to align their national migration management strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

This declaration will be submitted to the 9th Pan-African Congress scheduled in Lomé from October 29th to November 2nd, bringing together Africans from the continent, the diaspora, and Afro-descendants around the theme: "Revitalizing Pan-Africanism and Africa's Role in Multilateral Institutions Reform: Mobilizing Resources and Reinventing Ourselves to Act.”

Esaïe Edoh 

In Togo, the CENI has introduced a toll-free number, 1010, to help voters find their polling stations for the April 29th legislative and regional elections. This move follows the CENI's adjustments to voter registration and polling centers, aiming to reduce congestion at voting sites.

By limiting the number of voters per polling station to 350, the CENI seeks to speed up the voting process and reduce queues. However, this measure has led to the creation of additional polling stations, which may confuse voters.

"The voting takes place in the Voter Registration and Polling Centers (CRVs) used during the electoral registration from April 29, 2023, to June 14, 2023. However, CRVs with insufficient classroom space to accommodate the created PVs must be redirected to nearby CRVs as suggested to the CENI," the CENI states in a note addressed to CELI presidents.

The 1010 hotline addresses these challenges, enabling voters to receive precise information about their CRV and PV by sending their voter ID number via SMS (free of charge) to 1010.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi