PRESS CONFERENCE BY TOGO’S FOREIGN MINISTER

PRESS CONFERENCE BY TOGO’S FOREIGN MINISTER

Togo was solidly embarked upon a movement towards democracy that could not be reversed, said Koffi Panou, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Togo this afternoon at a Headquarters press conference.

His country was moving toward a new legislative round of elections in March 2002, he said, and in preparation for that an independent Electoral Commission had been established.  Half the members of the Commission were from the opposition and half were from the Government in power.  In that way, it was designed to reflect and guarantee transparency.  So, the Government was no longer organizing elections alone.  Rather, it was being done by an established institution working hand in hand with the Government.  The final date of the election will be established at a later time.

That election, he added, would be organized with the backing of the United Nations, which will coordinate observers for it.  In that regard, the United Nations had already dispatched an expert delegation to take stock of the situation and help Togo prepare.  Other organizations helping that effort included the European Union and La Francaphonie -- the organization of the French-speaking world.  They would also help guarantee transparency for the elections. 

All those efforts were possible only because Togo had moved on a path towards democracy, he said.  The process of creating a pluralist democracy had been in place since the tumultuous events of 1990.  That movement had included the creation of a press that was often critical of the Government, which was part of its role.  It was a profession that was drawing more people and there was a need for more professional journalistic training.  In terms of other democratic institutions, a constitutional court had been created, as well as an authority in charge of the mass media, along with many others.

For those democratic principles to become reality, he said, the State had to ensure the broadest possible involvement of its citizenry in the life of the society.  People must take an interest in the affairs of the States and then buckle down and get to work.  Despite those reforms, there was a certain lack of knowledge and misunderstanding with regard to Togo.  While it enjoyed the support of the international community, a number of countries were given more attention simply because they possessed greater natural resources.  Many of those other countries had not made the same democratic reforms, but they enjoyed greater popularity and drew more support. 

Regardless of the difficulties, he said, Togo would continue to move forward in building a State based upon the rule of law.  In regard to foreign policy, Togo shared many ties with the Economic Community of West African States, he said.  It was also part of a two-country initiative involving Nigeria.  Togo had continued to work to build economic and political cooperation in its region.  It was one of the co-founders of the Community and was host to a number of financial institutions.  Togo did have many advantages and assets, and the political difficulties it did face should not obscure them.

In response to a question regarding the European Union and its relations with Togo, Mr. Panou said the European Union sometimes acted in good faith and sometimes in bad faith, but it was also a victim of misinformation.  There had been difficulties, which had lead to the European Union's suspension of economic cooperation.  They opened the doors in the morning and in the afternoon they suspended cooperation.  European Union officials needed to better appreciate the political situation in Togo.  Togo was never opposed to democratic movements and it continued to defend human rights.

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