A republic of West Africa, Togo is situated on the Bight of Benin. Area: 56,785 sq km (21,925 sq mi). Pop. (1993 est.): 3,810,000. Cap.: Lomé. Monetary unit: CFA franc, with (Oct. 4, 1993) a par value of CFAF 50 to the French franc and a free rate of CFAF 283.25 to U.S. $1 (CFAF 429.12 = £ 1 sterling). President in 1993, Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema; prime minister, Joseph Kokou Koffigoh.
Pres. Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo began the year by first firing and then reappointing the increasingly unpopular Prime Minister Joseph Koffigoh. On January 25 police killed at least 20 demonstrators awaiting the arrival of the foreign ministers of France and Germany, who were to help restart the stalled democratization process. The European Community immediately suspended all aid. Five days later the army loyal to Eyadema rampaged through Lomé, attacking the homes of opposition leaders. France and the U.S. cut off all aid after negotiations to secure the army’s neutrality in the electoral process broke off in February. At least 300,000 Togolese were refugees in Benin and Ghana.
A failed military coup resulted in a purge of the army. In April and May the offices and presses of three opposition newspapers were destroyed. After several postponements and months of negotiations, the presidential elections were finally held on August 25. Five major opposition candidates withdrew. Only 36% of the electorate participated, but Eyadema received 96.5% of the votes cast. In November parliamentary elections were postponed until January 1994.
This updates the article Togo, history of.