Since October 2020, Lomé hasoverseen a major shakeup of the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT), with the goal, as outlined in the framework of the 2021-2025 military programming law, of increasing the size of the army by 25% and acquiring an estimated €1bn worth of defence equipment. By setting these targets, President Faure Gnassingbé hopes to prepare his country's response to the worsening security situation in the sub-region. The area has been rocked by the volatile situation in the Sahel where jihadist
Inner Circle | Togo
Gnassingbé beefs up army to contend with pending threats
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Faced with a jihadist threat on Chad's northern border and with troops engaged in peacekeeping operations in Mali, Togo's head of state has spearheaded a major shakeup of the army and defence ministry's leadership to prepare for challenges ahead. The new teams have been busy meeting arms suppliers from the UAE, Turkey and Russia in a move that has upset Paris, which is losing ground in the field of security cooperation.
