Foreign Investments and the Illusion of Stability in Togo
--
The government of Togo has recently launched two websites to promote investment in Togo. Since 2017, the government of Togo has been scrambling to redeem its international image. The protests in 2017 brought greater international attention to just how inhumane conditions in Togo are, particularly in regards to how the government of Togo treats activists and others who speak out against the poor conditions in Togo. Togo is led by a a ruling class which continues to enrich itself at the expense of the Togolese masses. The same ruling class utilizes the worst type of repressive force to force its own population in silence for the purpose of presenting the image of political stability to the international community because international companies tend not to invest in countries that are perceived to be unstable.
One of Togo’s newfound partners has been the United Kingdom. In 2019, Faure Gnassingbé went to the United Kingdom in a quest for investment. Faure was recently in the United Kingdom again this year where he met with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The two discussed Togo’s reforms and Prime Minister Johnson emphasized Togo’s contribution to the preservation of peace and security in the West Africa. The government of Togo is the same government which continues to brutalize and arbitrarily arrest its own citizens, but the government of Togo has managed to successfully present itself as a champion in the struggle against terrorism, piracy, and instability in West Africa. So long as the government of Togo can continue to present itself as a stable which is committed to stability in the region, while also managing to successfully cover up the human rights abuses and the political corruption, then Togo can count on attracting foreign investors. This is why the government of Togo continues to work very hard to promote the illusion of stability, when in reality Togo will never truly be stable so long as it continues to be run by a brutal and corrupt dictatorship.
—
Dwayne is the author of several books on the history and experiences of African people, both on the continent and in the diaspora. His books are available through Amazon. You can also follow Dwayne on Facebook and Twitter.
