The second edition of the Lomé Peace and Security Forum (LPSF), themed « Africa facing complex security challenges: How to strengthen and sustain peace and stability in a changing world? , » officially opened on October 11, 2025, in Lomé, chaired by His Excellency Faures Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Togo, in the presence of Liberian President His Excellency Joseph Boakai and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasandjo.
This high-level meeting, which aims to provide a platform for strategic dialogue to promote solutions tailored to the challenges of stability and sustainable development on the African continent, brought together heads of state and government, ministers, and leaders of regional and international institutions, as well as representatives of civil society.
In his speech, the Togolese head of state shared several strong convictions for rethinking security on the African continent. He began by emphasizing the need for African strategic autonomy. In his view, African states must be the main actors in their own security by defining their own priorities and building a common and solid security agenda.
President Faure Gnassingbé then emphasized local cohesion and social justice, stressing that “peace cannot be decreed, it must be built.” He recalled that this requires inclusion, community dialogue, and the active participation of women, young people, and civil society. Security, he added, is not just a matter of weapons, but also of education, health, and governance.
He also called for strengthening prevention and anticipation in the face of threats such as terrorism, transnational crime, disinformation, and cyberattacks. For him, it is essential to move from reaction to prevention through more effective cooperation and responsible use of new technologies.
Finally, the Head of State called for a new approach to financing peace. Believing that “security has a cost,” he stressed the need for African states to be able to assume this responsibility without excessive dependence on external financing or increasing their debt. He proposed that security spending in Africa be recognized as a global public good in order to sustainably support stabilization efforts on the continent.
“Lomé must remain a place where we dare to say that peace is not a naive dream, but a demanding strategy,” concluded President Faure Gnassingbé, reaffirming Togo’s commitment to making this forum an African space for dialogue, action, and international influence.
