President of the Council, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, has been a prominent participant at the FII PRIORITY Europe summit since June 18, 2026. This significant high-level event focuses on crucial global themes, including the funding of reindustrialization, bolstering the resilience of supply chains, and navigating the transformation of labor in the age of artificial intelligence.

From this international platform, the Togolese head of state passionately called for a fundamental re-imagining of the relationship between Europe and Africa. His proposal centers on shared strategic interests, robust productive investment, and a more deliberate management of economic interdependencies.

Faure Gnassingbé urges moving beyond traditional cooperation models

In his address, President Gnassingbé highlighted that Europe and Africa now confront similar challenges within a global environment characterized by heightened geopolitical tensions and intense economic competition.

He firmly asserted that conventional approaches, historically reliant on aid or traditional cooperation, are no longer adequate to meet current global demands.

“The conversation must shift from classical aid or cooperation to constructing a more equitable strategic relationship between Europe and Africa,” he declared.

The Togolese leader stressed that both continents must forge partnerships capable of addressing contemporary issues concerning economic, energy, and technological sovereignty.

Strategic autonomy rooted in managed interdependencies

Faure Gnassingbé also shared his perspective on strategic autonomy, describing it not as a withdrawal, but rather as a more effective and organized structuring of economic interactions between nations.

He pointed out that recent global crises have highlighted the crucial role of interdependencies, provided they are made more secure, balanced, and predictable.

President Gnassingbé believes that Europe and Africa possess inherent complementarities that can foster the development of an innovative model of cooperation.

Europe-Africa: forging a win-win partnership

The Togolese head of government underscored that Europe is actively seeking reliable partners to secure its supply chains and boost its competitiveness, while Africa requires capital, technology, and infrastructure to accelerate its economic transformation. This dynamic presents significant opportunities for robust African economy news and growth.

“These needs are not conflicting; on the contrary, they can mutually strengthen each other,” he affirmed.

For Faure Gnassingbé, the Euro-African partnership must now be conceived as a convergence of strategic interests, bringing mutual benefits to both continents.

Togo aims to solidify its status as a West African logistics hub

Addressing Togo’s national strategy, the President of the Council reaffirmed the nation’s ambitious goal: to establish itself as a leading logistics, industrial, and commercial platform throughout West Africa.

This ambitious vision is underpinned by several key initiatives:

• the ongoing modernization of the Port of Lomé;
• the strategic development of regional corridors;
• proactive measures for trade facilitation;
• and the comprehensive digitalization of procedures.

He emphasized that these robust infrastructures not only benefit Togo but also significantly contribute to the overall economic resilience of the entire sub-region.

An Africa focused on production and value creation

Faure Gnassingbé strongly underscored Africa’s determination to move beyond its traditional role as merely a supplier of raw materials. This strategic shift is a key topic in current African politics English discussions.

The continent, he highlighted, aspires to evolve into a dynamic space for production, transformation, and innovation, capable of generating considerably more value locally.

He further argued that a more industrialized and deeply integrated Africa would represent a substantial opportunity for Europe and for international investors alike.

Togo boosts its profile with international investors

Beyond the high-level strategic debates, Togo’s participation at the FII PRIORITY Europe summit serves as a crucial platform to showcase the nation’s logistical, industrial, and financial strengths to global economic decision-makers.

For Lomé, this prominent international presence aligns with its steadfast commitment to attract increased foreign direct investments, forge impactful structural partnerships, and reinforce its standing as a pivotal regional economic hub.

The summit attracted numerous influential figures, including Yasir ben Othman Al-Rumayyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Future Investment Initiative Institute, and Richard Attias, the institution’s Founder and Executive Committee President, alongside a diverse assembly of political leaders, investors, and heads of international financial institutions.