Dialogue of the deaf in Togo in the run-up to the 2015 elections

The report examines the political impasse in Togo ahead of the 2015 elections, highlighting the failure to implement the 2006 Global Political Agreement. It details the dominance of the Union for the Republic (UNIR) party, the fragmentation of the opposition, and the perceived bias of electoral institutions. Additionally, it addresses underlying socio-economic tensions and the role of the international community in attempting to mediate the crisis.

• Togo is experiencing a political deadlock due to the failure to implement the 2006 Global Political Agreement, which aimed to establish constitutional and institutional reforms. A June 2014 bill proposing a two-term presidential limit and a two-round election system was rejected by the National Assembly.
• The ruling Union for the Republic (UNIR) party maintains a strong hold on power through a state apparatus that favours the presidency, including control over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Constitutional Court, and the High Authority for Audiovisuals and Communications (HAAC).
• The political opposition is fragmented and unable to present a united front. Rivalries between the National Alliance for Change (ANC) and the Action Committee for Renewal (CAR) over the nomination of a single candidate, combined with the Union of Forces for Change (UFC) forming an alliance with the ruling party, weaken the opposition's ability to challenge the incumbent.
• The electoral framework is contested by the opposition, who claim that the INEC, the Constitutional Court, and the HAAC lack neutrality and are manipulated by the government. Specifically, the HAAC was described by a 2010 EU report as biased in its application of the law.
• Despite GDP growth between 4.1% in 2010 and 5.6% in 2013, Togo faces significant socio-economic instability. Key issues include persistent impunity for political violence, unresolved land disputes, and high youth unemployment, with 20.5% of young people underemployed and 8.1% unemployed.
• International actors, including the G5 (EU, France, Germany, US, and UNDP) and ECOWAS, provide technical and financial support and attempt to mediate dialogues, but they are limited by a lack of political will from the Togolese government to impose structural reforms.

APA

Gnanguênon, A., Toupane, P. M., & Gnamke, E.-W. (2014). Dialogue of the deaf in Togo in the run-up to the 2015 elections. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS10-ENGV2.pdf

Chicago

Gnanguênon, Amandine, Paulin Maurice Toupane, and Esso-Wèdeou Gnamke. Dialogue of the deaf in Togo in the run-up to the 2015 elections. Institute for Security Studies, 2014. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS10-ENGV2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gnanguênon |first1=Amandine |last2=Toupane |first2=Paulin Maurice |last3=Gnamke |first3=Esso-Wèdeou |title=Dialogue of the deaf in Togo in the run-up to the 2015 elections |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2014 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS10-ENGV2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gnangunon2014dialogue, author = {Gnanguênon, Amandine and Toupane, Paulin Maurice and Gnamke, Esso-Wèdeou}, title = {{Dialogue of the deaf in Togo in the run-up to the 2015 elections}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2014}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ECOWAS10-ENGV2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }