Lomé, January 16, 2026 – (©AfreePress) – The President of the Council, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, granted an audience on January 15, 2026, to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, who is on an official visit to Lomé.
The meeting formed part of preparations for the high-level summit on the situation in the Great Lakes region, scheduled to open on January 17 in the Togolese capital. Discussions focused on the region’s persistent security and political challenges, as well as on mechanisms to consolidate peace and strengthen African integration.
On the occasion, the Togolese head of the executive reaffirmed Togo’s commitment to African-led mediation and dialogue initiatives, stressing the need for a coordinated approach grounded in regional solidarity and respect for state sovereignty. The President of the Council also shared with his guest Togo’s strategic orientations on conflict prevention and sustainable stabilization.
For his part, the AU Commission Chair praised Togo’s growing role on the continental diplomatic stage, particularly in facilitating peace processes. He expressed appreciation for the warm reception in Lomé and for the Togolese authorities’ readiness to support the African Union’s efforts toward lasting peace in the Great Lakes region.
Expected to be a major diplomatic milestone, the high-level summit aims to lay the groundwork for renewed regional cooperation capable of delivering effective, collective responses to the crises that continue to undermine this strategic area of Africa.
It bears recalling that, prior to this visit, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, paid a friendship and working visit to Lomé on January 12, 2026, as part of preparations for the Lomé summit on peace in the Great Lakes.
Olivier A.
