Lomé, December 06, 2025 -(©AfreePress)- Selected to host the 9th Pan-African Congress, Lomé stands out as a space of mediation and reconciliation where historical memory, diplomatic neutrality and contemporary peace initiatives converge. The Togolese capital, stable and firmly oriented toward dialogue, offers an ideal environment for reimagining Pan-Africanism and mobilizing the diaspora in support of a more influential Africa on the global stage.
Lomé was chosen to host the 9th Pan-African Congress precisely because it has embodied, for decades, a well-established tradition of dialogue, diplomatic hospitality and regional mediation. The city is far more than a logistical venue; it is a historic symbol of major international gatherings — political, economic and, above all, peace-related — which make it a natural “crossroads” for continental initiatives.
Perhaps the most emblematic historical reference is the 1999 Lomé Peace Agreement, which ended years of violence in Sierra Leone and cemented Lomé’s reputation as a decisive venue for peace processes. This milestone firmly embedded the Togolese capital in Africa’s diplomatic consciousness as a place conducive to negotiation and national reconciliation.
On the institutional and international fronts, Lomé assumed a major role as early as the 1970s with the Lomé Convention (1975), which bound Africa to international partners through a trade and cooperation framework. This diplomatic and political legacy gives the city a unique legitimacy to host Pan-African forums of high significance.
In recent years, Togo and its capital have further strengthened this vocation. Lomé has increasingly hosted regular high-level meetings dedicated to peace and security — such as the Lomé Peace and Security Forum — consolidating its status as a platform for reflection on the continent’s security challenges and as a catalyst for African conflict-resolution initiatives. These gatherings reflect Togo’s determination to anchor Lomé firmly within the continental diplomatic agenda.
Moreover, Togolese diplomacy, driven by national actors active on the African stage, has multiplied mediation missions, notably in the Great Lakes region. This has enhanced the credibility of Lomé and Togo as impartial and effective actors in peace processes. The proactive role of the President of the Togolese Council and national institutions in mediation underscores this growing influence.
Finally, hosting the 9th Pan-African Congress is part of the 2021–2031 Decade of African Roots and the African Diaspora, an initiative led by Togo and the African Union to strengthen ties between the continent and its global communities. Lomé — through its geography, history and institutional commitment — stands out as the appropriate venue to reflect on the renewal of Pan-Africanism, the reform of multilateral institutions and the mobilization of human and financial resources essential to Africa’s development.
The objective of holding the 9th Pan-African Congress in Lomé is to shape a new Pan-Africanism centered on the peoples of Africa, the diaspora and the continent’s representation within global decision-making bodies. The congress aims to produce a strategic “white paper” and flagship initiatives to strengthen Africa’s voice internationally.
It also seeks to redefine Africa’s place within international organizations (multilateral banks, the UN Security Council, economic institutions) through collective strategies for resource mobilization and partnerships. The congress offers a platform to put forward concrete mechanisms for institutional reform.
Olivier A.
