Jean-Noël Barrot will undertake a two-day official visit to Togo from April 23 to 24, at a critical juncture for Franco-African relations and regional stability in the Sahel.
According to France’s Foreign ministry, the visit will include engagements with non-governmental organizations ahead of a forthcoming humanitarian Conference, with discussions centred on international humanitarian law amid escalating conflicts in the sub-region.
Barrot is also scheduled to hold talks with his Togolese counterpart Robert Dussey, focusing on bilateral cooperation, counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, and broader regional political developments.
Cooperation through the French Development Agency is expected to feature prominently. Among the topics to be discussed is the suspension of French state-owned stations Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24, which formally expired in September 2025 without the two media outlets of the France Médias Monde network being authorized to broadcast again in Togo.
The visit underscores Togo’s growing diplomatic relevance as a mediator in Sahelian crises, leveraging its neutrality to maintain dialogue channels. It also reflects France’s broader effort to recalibrate its engagement in West Africa, with Lomé emerging as a strategic partner in this evolving landscape.