President bows to Commission’s election demands

In a bid to end more than a decade of international isolation, including the suspension of EU aid, Togo will soon set a date for parliamentary elections, according to the country’s President, Faure Gnassingbé.

The European Commission has asked the Togolese authorities to set a date for the elections as part of a series of demands which aim to return the country to democratic rule and in exchange for the release of €40 million in aid.

Speaking during a visit to Brussels this week, Gnassingbé said that it was up to the electoral committee to set the date for elections, but that it would be possible to have a decision on a date within a month.

"Technically it should be the electoral body that establishes the calendar," he said. "The elections should take eight to ten months for the organisation, but to set a date it should [take] around one month."

The Commission suspended aid in 1993 because of human rights violations carried out by the government of Gnassingbé’s father, General Gnassingbé Eyadema.

When Eyadema died in 2005 his son’s accession to power caused widespread violence which resulted in hundreds of deaths and was condemned around the world.

But Gnassingbé now looks set to complete his transformation from international pariah. The 40 year-old said he was committed to the democratic process. He described the unfreezing of EU aid as "symbolic" but important.

"The amount [of EU assistance] is not that important, but it would be a very important signal to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank so that they can come and they will be assured that there are some financial resources and we can have a programme with them," he said.

Gnassingbé also held talks in Brussels with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana to discuss possible EU assistance to reform the Togolese army.

In a bid to end more than a decade of international isolation, including the suspension of EU aid, Togo will soon set a date for parliamentary elections, according to the country’s President, Faure Gnassingbé.