
Togo is exploring the possibility of joining the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), according to Foreign Minister Robert Dussey. Dussey emphasized that the decision lies with the President of Togo but suggested public sentiment would likely favor the move. Membership in the AES could provide strategic benefits, granting the landlocked member states—Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—access to the sea via Togo’s coastline and the port of Lomé, boosting regional trade. Such an arrangement would benefit Togo, which would serve as the hub of commerce. The AES was formed by these military-led nations after their withdrawal from ECOWAS, citing alleged manipulation by France, their former colonial power.
Source: africanews.