On Wednesday, 12 November 2025, Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé officially opened the fourth edition of the United Kingdom-West and Central Francophone Africa Economic Forum (UK-WCAF IV) in Lomé.
Addressing almost 700 participants from across West and Central Africa, as well as representatives from the private sector and international financial institutions, Faure Gnassingbé called for a new era of strategic partnerships between London and francophone African countries, describing the initiative as a “bridge of prosperity.” The forum focuses on economic integration, sustainable investment, and strengthening trade and business links.
In his opening remarks, President Gnassingbé emphasized the importance of mutual trust, dialogue, and economic complementarity between the UK and francophone Africa. He encouraged the UK to bring its expertise, advanced technologies, and financing to critical sectors such as energy, infrastructure, finance, digital innovation, and education. Highlighting Africa’s readiness to collaborate, he affirmed that francophone countries are prepared to host British companies and co-develop sustainable solutions to shared development challenges.
UK-WCAF IV also marks a strategic milestone for Togo, a Commonwealth member since 2022, positioning the country as a gateway between anglophone and francophone Africa. Showcasing modern infrastructure, a business-friendly climate, and a strong logistics hub, Lomé aims to become a regional platform for investment and innovation. Beyond speeches, the forum includes thematic panels, B2B meetings, and networking sessions, with concrete projects expected in agro-industry, energy, transport, and digital services, reflecting Togo’s ambition to play a central role in fostering long-term UK-Africa economic cooperation.
UK-WCAF IV will close this Thursday, November 13.