Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland paid a working visit to Togo on Tuesday 16 July 2024. She held a working session in the office of the Prime Minister. Also in attendance were members of the government. The working session formed part of efforts to strengthen the good partnership ties between Togo and the Commonwealth.
The visit was marked by a one-on-one talks between the Head of Government, Mrs Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé, and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, before the extended bilateral discussions.
The discussions enabled the two parties to exchange views on the political and socio-economic context, on the partnership between Togo and the Commonwealth and on ways to revitalise it.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General thanked the government for the typically Togolese welcome extended to her. She was of the view that topics discussed were of paramount importance for the Commonwealth. Regarding justice, Ms Scotland underlined that there was a need for effective and efficient justice system within the community. She acknowledged the scourges thatkeep on undermining the world’s economies, including the war between Ukraine and Russia, as well as climate change.
Ms Scotland indicated that there was still work to be done, calling for greater collaboration within the Commonwealth.
“We are absolutely committed to working with you. Everything we have belongs to you. We are honoured to be your partner,” she told the Togolese government.
In her speech, Prime Minister Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé thanked the Commonwealth for its support to Togo, in particular in the areas of education, training and attracting investment. She gave a brief overview of Togo’s political and socio-economic situation. She further reassured that efforts are being made by the government to ensure the well-being of the Togolese people.
The Prime Minister laid particular emphasis on the security aspect. She indicated that the Head of State remains committed to preserving peace, security, stability and social cohesion in Togo and in the sub-region.
In addition the security aspect, the head of the Government made reference to the climate, which also remains a concern for the government. She called for concerted action with the Commonwealth to achieve development in Togo. She also outlined the saliant points of the government’s 2020-2025 roadmap.
The head of government further informed the house of universal health coverage, quality education, access to drinking water, energy, social protection and justice, as well as the reforms being undertaken in some areas to meet the daily needs of the population. Mrs Dogbé also spoke about the recent legislative and regional elections, which were organised in Togo and stressed the participation and the support of the Togolese people as well as the confidence of our partners.
Finally, the Prime Minister welcomed Togo’s membership to the Commonwealth, saying that this had enabled the country to open up more to the world in order to diversify its partnerships.
The Commonwealth upholds values and comprises of 56 countries, most of which have historic links with the United Kingdom and which are home to more than 2.5 billion people across 5 continents. The Commonwealth promotes a series of values shared by its members, such as equality, non-discrimination, democracy and the rule of law.
