Togo has temporarily suspended the issuance of all new mining permits to foreign mining companies, as they seek to join the Alliance of Sahel States.
“We are taking a necessary break to build a new mining framework that benefits our people, respects the environment, and ensures national sovereignty,” said a spokesperson for the ministry.
The announcement, made by the Ministry of Mines and Energy Resources, temporarily halts all permits related to prospecting and exploration, excluding those involving construction materials and industrial minerals.
This “strategic pause” aims to overhaul the country’s outdated 1996 Mining Code, last revised in 2003, in favor of a more transparent, inclusive, and sustainable legal framework.
This move comes as Togo considers joining the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a rising geopolitical bloc founded by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
The AES alliance was born from a shared desire among member states to free themselves from neocolonial economic structures, particularly those tied to the West, and to forge a path of African-led cooperation, development, and security.
Togo’s potential membership in the AES would provide critical maritime access to its landlocked neighbors and strengthen Pan-African solidarity across the region.
Foreign Minister Prof. Robert Dussey confirmed in March that Togo is actively exploring the possibility, stating that regional unity and economic realignment are “strategic priorities.”
Recent public sentiment mirrors this shift. An Afrobarometer survey conducted in November 2024 revealed that 54% of Togolese citizens support joining the AES over remaining in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), reflecting widespread discontent with the region’s traditional economic alliances.
Togo’s suspension of mining permits echoes similar efforts across the continent. In Guinea, the military government recently canceled over 120 mining exploration licenses, aiming to curb exploitation and establish state authority over critical resources.
The AES member states themselves have consistently pushed back against Western interference, taking bold steps to rewrite mining contracts, expel foreign military bases, and prioritize local development.
