(By Christopher Burke, Senior Advisor, WMC Africa) The Second Lomé Forum on Peace and Security, held in Togo, offered an unexpected lesson for African regional politics. At a time when formal diplomacy too often boils down to ultimatums and ruptures, Lomé calmly reminded us that dialogue remains possible—even between estranged partners. In West Africa, the rift between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has turned into an open divorce. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have rejected any idea of returning to ECOWAS, describing their separation as “irreversible” and “liberating.” What could have been a diplomatic impasse became, in Lomé, an opening where the two sides were able to exchange views frankly, without foreign mediation. The real achievement of the forum lay not in the agreements reached, but in the atmosphere created. It was a safe space for honest political discourse, chaired with restraint by Abdisaid Muse Ali, former Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs. The AES ministers formulated a clear vision of sovereignty, autonomy, and dignity. Malian Abdoulaye Diop declared, “Forget our return to ECOWAS; we are already beyond that,” while Niger’s Bakary Yaou Sangaré insisted on the need for Africa to “correct the imbalances of history” and ensure that natural resources fully benefit its citizens. Lomé also gave a voice to those calling for reconciliation. Former Senegalese Prime Minister Aminata Touré proposed an “AES-ECOWAS consultation framework,” which was immediately supported by former ECOWAS Commission President Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas. Their intervention shifted the debate: the question was no longer whether the AES should return to ECOWAS, but how the two could coexist in the same region. It was a subtle victory of realism over rhetoric. Lessons for Central Africa The Lomé experience has particular resonance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its neighboring countries. The Great Lakes and Central Africa have their own version of fragmented regionalism. The DRC belongs to both the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), but coordination between these two blocs remains difficult. This overlap fuels mistrust and complicates the management of peace operations, trade corridors, and cross-border security. Like ECOWAS and AES, both EAC and SADC claim to have the same goal: regional peace and prosperity. However, their competing mandates in eastern Congo have sometimes exacerbated tensions rather than easing them. Regional military interventions are accompanied by political suspicion, revealing not only differences in strategy, but also deeper issues of sovereignty, accountability, and trust. Lomé’s quiet diplomacy reflects this situation. It shows that African regions do not need perfect consensus to engage in dialogue. Dialogue does not require formal reintegration or external sponsorship; it requires a neutral space, political will, and mutual respect for differences. Diplomacy beyond institutions Togo’s role as a neutral mediator demonstrates that diplomacy can be conducted outside traditional institutional frameworks. Lomé’s “Track Two and a Half” format—bringing together government officials, experts, and civil society—has proven that informal diplomacy can succeed where official summits fail. This approach could inspire similar spaces where regional actors, including members of the SADC and EAC, would discuss common security and economic priorities without preconditions. The DRC could take the lead in such a model. A “Kinshasa Dialogue” or “Goma Peace Platform,” bringing together neighboring states and independent experts, could play for Central Africa the role that Lomé played for the Sahel: easing tensions, addressing grievances, and enabling pragmatic cooperation. The value of candor Another lesson from Lomé is the importance of candor. The direct remarks of the AES ministers disturbed some, but their honesty prevented polite denial from masking the truth. Lomé succeeded by allowing friction without rupture. In Central Africa, this type of dialogue is essential. The region’s diplomatic culture often favors deference over candor. Yet mistrust persists around military intentions, mineral smuggling, and political alliances. Lomé showed that openly acknowledging these tensions can be the first step toward resolving them. From unity to coexistence The Lomé Forum did not produce unity; it established coexistence. It recognized that regional integration cannot be decreed; it must evolve through concrete cooperation on trade, migration, infrastructure, and environmental protection, where interests converge. For the DRC, this lesson is crucial. The country cannot afford to choose between regional blocs or reduce its diplomacy to tests of loyalty. Its geography makes it a natural bridge between the SADC, the EAC, and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). By harmonizing customs systems, developing electrification corridors, and strengthening resource governance, the DRC can transform its central position into a diplomatic asset rather than a dividing line. African agency in practice Lomé also illustrated a broader trend: the rise of African agency. The forum, focused on youth and artificial intelligence, showed that peace and stability no longer depend solely on weapons or treaties, but on inclusion, innovation, and shared prosperity. Investing in digital tools for early warning, transparent resource management, and youth employment is fully in line with this vision. Trust is not built solely at the negotiating table; it is strengthened when citizens perceive justice, opportunity, and dignity in governance. The courage to speak The lesson of Lomé is simple but profound. Dialogue remains the continent’s most underutilized instrument of power. When silence sets in, mistrust takes root; when people talk to each other, even angrily, possibilities are reborn. Lomé offered this possibility in West Africa: a space where estranged neighbors could engage in dialogue without losing face. Central Africa, and the DRC at its heart, can draw inspiration from this. Sovereignty is not isolation; it is the ability to forge one’s destiny through freely chosen cooperation based on trust. The silent lesson of Lomé is that Africa’s strength lies less in the volume of its declarations than in the consistency of its dialogue. ———- Source : laprosperiteonline.net