Editing Togo (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of Togo}}
[[Archaeology|Archaeological]] finds indicate that societies were able to produce [[pottery]] and process [[iron]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D1CUn51GNk |title=Ironworking in Togo, West Africa: Archaeological Research in the Bassar Region 2013-2020 |date=2021-12-11 |last=San Diego Archaeological Center |access-date=2025-03-26 |via=YouTube}}</ref> The name Togo is translated from the [[Ewe language]] as "behind the river".<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2020-04-19 |title=How Togo came to have its name |url=https://africanlisbontour.com/2020/04/19/how-togo-came-to-have-its-name/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=African Lisbon Tour |language=en-US}}</ref> During the period from the 11th century to the 16th century, the [[Ewe people|Ewé]] entered the area from the west, and the [[Gen language|Mina]] and [[Fon language|Gun]] from the east. Most of them settled on the coast. The [[Atlantic slave trade]] began in the 16th century, and for the next two hundred years the coastal region was a trading centre for Europeans in search of slaves, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The [[Slave Coast of West Africa|Slave Coast]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Benjamin |first=Thomas |date=2009-02-16 |title=The Atlantic World: Europeans, Africans, Indians and their Shared History, 1400–1900 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/the-atlantic-world/2E35A3BB70FC6B973EE4E1535D885470?chapterId=CBO9780511816604A026#contents |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Higher Education from Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/CBO9780511816604 |isbn=978-0-511-81660-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The transatlantic slave trade |url=https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/history-of-slavery/transatlantic-slave-trade |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=National Museums Liverpool}}</ref>

[[File:Togoland.jpg|thumb|left|Togoland ([[Rudolf Hellgrewe|R. Hellgrewe]], 1908)]]

In 1884, a paper was forcibly signed at [[Togoville]] with King Mlapa III, whereby Germany claimed a [[protectorate]] over a stretch of territory along the coast and gradually extended its control inland.<ref>Laumann, "A Historiography of German Togoland", p. 195</ref><ref>Washausen, ''Hamburg und die Kolonialpolitik'', p. 79</ref> Its borders were defined after the capture of the hinterland by German forces and signing agreements with France and Britain. In 1905, this became the German colony of [[Togoland]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Y |first=Dr |date=2019-04-26 |title=German Colonial Treaties in Africa: Togoland July 5th 1884 |url=https://afrolegends.com/2019/04/26/german-colonial-treaties-in-africa-togoland-july-5th-1884/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=African Heritage |language=en}}</ref> The local population was [[Forced labour|forced to work]], cultivate cotton, coffee, and cocoa and pay taxes. A [[Lomé–Aného railway|railway]] and the port of [[Lomé]] were built for export of agricultural products. The Germans introduced techniques of cultivation of [[Cocoa bean|cocoa]], [[coffee]] and [[cotton]] and developed the infrastructure.

During the [[First World War]], Togoland was invaded by [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and France, proclaiming the Anglo-French condominium, during the [[West African Campaign (World War I)|West African Campaign]] of the First World War. Following the [[Allies of World War I|Allied]] invasion of the colony in August 1914, German forces were defeated, forcing the colony's surrender on 26 August 1914. On 7 December 1916, the condominium collapsed and Togoland was subsequently partitioned into British and French zones, creating the colonies of [[British Togoland]] and [[French Togoland]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Martin |first1=Lawrence |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtyOqiwiDLYC&pg=PR15 |title=The Treaties of Peace, 1919-1923 |last2=Reed |first2=John |date=2007 |publisher=The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. |isbn=978-1-58477-708-3 |language=en}}</ref> On 20 July 1922, Great Britain received the [[League of Nations]] mandate to govern the western part of Togo and France to govern the eastern part. In 1945, the country received the right to send three representatives to the [[French Parliament|French parliament.]]

After the [[Second World War]], these mandates became [[United Nations Trust Territories|UN Trust Territories]]. The residents of British Togoland [[1956 British Togoland status plebiscite|voted]] to join the [[Gold Coast (British colony)|Gold Coast]] as part of the independent nation of [[Ghana]] in 1957. French Togoland became an autonomous republic within the [[French Union]] in 1959, while France retained the right to control defence, foreign relations, and finances.

=== Independence ===
The Togolese Republic was proclaimed on 27 April 1960.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zuber |first=David |date=2022-03-28 |title=Sylvanus Olympio (1902-1963) |url=https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/people-global-african-history/sylvanus-olympio-1902-1963/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=BlackPast.org |language=en-US}}</ref> In the [[Togolese general election, 1961]], [[Sylvanus Olympio]] became the first president, gaining 100 per cent of the vote in elections boycotted by the opposition. On 9 April 1961, the Constitution of the Togolese Republic was adopted, according to which the supreme legislative body was the [[National Assembly of Togo]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ujamaalive.africa/encyclomedia/togo/|title=Togo|date=2019-04-26|website=Ujamaa Live|language=en-ZA|access-date=2019-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502190520/https://ujamaalive.africa/encyclomedia/togo/|archive-date=2 May 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> In December 1961, leaders of opposition parties were arrested because they were accused of the preparation of an anti-government conspiracy. A decree was issued on the dissolution of the opposition parties. Olympio tried to reduce dependence on France by establishing cooperation with the United States, United Kingdom, and [[West Germany]]. He rejected the efforts of French soldiers who were demobilized after the [[Algerian War]] and tried to get a position in the Togolese army. These factors eventually led to a military coup on 13 January 1963 during which he was [[assassinate]]d by a group of soldiers under the direction of Sergeant [[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]].<ref name="ellis93">{{cite journal|last=Ellis|first=Stephen|title=Rumour and Power in Togo|journal=Africa: Journal of the International African Institute|volume =63|issue=4|pages=462–476|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1993|doi=10.2307/1161002|jstor=1161002|s2cid=145261033 }}</ref> A state of emergency was declared in Togo. The military handed over power to an interim government led by [[Nicolas Grunitzky]]. In May 1963, Grunitzky was elected President of the Republic. The new leadership pursued a policy of developing relations with France. His main aim was to dampen the divisions between north and south, promulgate a new constitution, and introduce a multiparty system.

On 13 January 1967, Eyadéma Gnassingbé overthrew Grunitzky in a bloodless coup and assumed the presidency.<ref name="heritage.org">{{cite web |title=Togo Economy: Population, GDP, Inflation, Business, Trade, FDI, Corruption |url=https://www.heritage.org/index/country/togo |website=www.heritage.org |access-date=27 January 2021 |language=en |archive-date=10 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510041736/https://www.heritage.org/index/country/togo |url-status=unfit }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Coups in Togo |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/togo.htm |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=www.globalsecurity.org}}</ref> He created the [[Rally of the Togolese People|Rally of the Togolese People Party]], banned activities of other political parties and introduced a 1-party system in November 1969. He was reelected in 1979 and 1986. In 1983, the [[privatization]] program launched and in 1991 other political parties were allowed. In 1993, the [[European Union]] froze the partnership, describing Eyadema's re-election in 1993, 1998 and 2003, as a seizure of power. In April 2004, in Brussels, talks were held between the EU and Togo on the resumption of cooperation.

[[File:Protests in Lomé, Togo, 18 octobre 2017 04.jpg|thumb|left|The [[2017–18 Togolese protests]] against the 50-year rule of the Gnassingbé family]]

Eyadéma Gnassingbé died on Saturday, 5 February 2005.<ref>Deschamps, H.J., Decalo, S., Pedanou, M.K., Echenberg, M. "Togo." ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', March 4, 2025. [https://www.britannica.com/place/Togo. https://www.britannica.com/place/Togo.]</ref> The military's installation of his son, [[Faure Gnassingbé]],<ref name="heritage.org"/> as president provoked international condemnation, except from France. Some "democratically elected" African leaders such as [[Abdoulaye Wade]] of [[Senegal]] and [[Olusegun Obasanjo]] of [[Nigeria]] supported the move, thereby creating a rift within the [[African Union]].<ref name="bbc.co.uk">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14106781 BBC News – Togo country profile – Overview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013061606/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14106781 |date=13 October 2019 }}. Bbc.co.uk (11 July 2011). Retrieved on March 26, 2012.</ref> Gnassingbé left power and held elections, which he won two months later.<ref>"Date set for elections in Togo", Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 4 March 2005</ref> The opposition declared that the election results were fraudulent. The events of 2005 led to questions regarding the government's commitment to [[democracy]] that had been made in an attempt to normalize relations with the EU which cut off [[aid]] in 1993 due to questions about Togo's human rights situation. Up to 400 people were killed in the violence surrounding the presidential elections, according to the UN. Around 40,000 Togolese fled to neighbouring countries. Gnassingbé was reelected in 2010 and 2015.

Togo became the first African nation to win an Olympic medal in canoeing at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]] when [[Benjamin Boukpeti]] won bronze in the [[Canoeing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's slalom K-1|K-1 slalom]].

In 2017, anti-government protests erupted. [[United Nations|UN]] condemned the resulting crackdown by security forces, and [[The Gambia|Gambia's]] foreign minister, [[Ousainou Darboe]], had to issue a correction after saying that Gnassingbé should resign.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-togo/togos-president-gnassingbe-should-resign-immediately-gambian-foreign-minister-idUSKBN1CS1W7|title=Gambian ministry says up to Togo to resolve crisis|last=Farge|first=Emma|date=2017-10-23|work=Reuters|access-date=2017-10-26|publisher=Thomson Reuters|archive-date=26 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026111748/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-togo/togos-president-gnassingbe-should-resign-immediately-gambian-foreign-minister-idUSKBN1CS1W7|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the February 2020 presidential elections, [[Faure Gnassingbé]] won his fourth presidential term in office as the president of Togo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200224-togo-president-faure-gnassingbe-wins-fourth-term-according-to-provisional-results|title=Togo's President Faure Gnassingbé wins fourth term|date=2020-02-24|website=France 24|language=en|access-date=2020-02-24|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224070458/https://www.france24.com/en/20200224-togo-president-faure-gnassingbe-wins-fourth-term-according-to-provisional-results|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the official result, he won with a margin of around 72% of the vote share. This enabled him to defeat his closest challenger, the former prime minister [[Agbéyomé Kodjo|Agbeyome Kodjo]] who had 18%.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/togo-president-faure-gnassingbe-wins-fourth-term-landslide-200224050830042.html|title=Togo President Faure Gnassingbe wins fourth term in landslide|website=Al Jazeera|access-date=2020-02-24|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224081816/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/togo-president-faure-gnassingbe-wins-fourth-term-landslide-200224050830042.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 4 May 2020, Bitala Madjoulba, the commander of a Togolese military battalion, was found dead in his office. The day of Madjoulba's death came after the re-elected [[Faure Gnassingbé]] was sworn in for his fourth term. An investigation was opened for this case, resulting in Major General Kadangha Abalo Felix being prosecuted and tried for involvement in Madjoulba's assassination and 'conspiracy against the internal security of the state.' <ref>{{cite news |title=Togo: une enquête ouverte après la mort du colonel Bitala Madjoulba |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20200506-togo-une-enqu%C3%AAte-ouverte-apr%C3%A8s-la-mort-violente-colonel-bitala-madjoulba |access-date=28 December 2021 |publisher=Radio France Internationale |date=6 May 2020 |language=French |archive-date=28 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228202422/https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20200506-togo-une-enqu%C3%AAte-ouverte-apr%C3%A8s-la-mort-violente-colonel-bitala-madjoulba |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Togo: Assassinat du colonel Madjoulba Bitala : le général Kadangha Abalo dément toutes accusations |url=https://togonyigba.tg/togo-assassinat-de-madjoulba-bitala-le-general-abalo-kadangha-dement-toutes-accusations |access-date=27 February 2024 |publisher=Togo Nyigba |date=6 May 2020 |language=French |archive-date=9 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109154649/https://togonyigba.tg/togo-assassinat-de-madjoulba-bitala-le-general-abalo-kadangha-dement-toutes-accusations/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Joining the Commonwealth ===
Togo joined the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] in June 2022.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Togo joins the Commonwealth family |url=https://www.republicoftogo.com/toutes-les-rubriques/commonwealth/togo-joins-the-commonwealth-family |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=République Togolaise |language=fr-FR}}</ref> Prior to its admission at the [[2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting]], Foreign Minister [[Robert Dussey]] said that he expected Commonwealth membership to provide new export markets, funding for development projects and opportunities for Togolese citizens to learn English and access new educational and cultural resources.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Lawson |first=Alice |date=2022-06-24 |title=Togo sees Commonwealth entry as pivot to English-speaking world |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/togo-sees-commonwealth-entry-pivot-english-speaking-world-2022-06-24/ |access-date=2022-07-01 |archive-date=4 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104101232/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/togo-sees-commonwealth-entry-pivot-english-speaking-world-2022-06-24/ |url-status=live }}</ref>