Foreign relations of Togo

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists Although Togo's foreign policy is nonaligned, it has strong historical and cultural ties with western Europe, especially France and Germany. Togo is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, exchanging high commissioners with other Commonwealth countries. It recognizes the People's Republic of China, North Korea, and Cuba, and re-established relations with Israel in 1987.

Togo pursues an active foreign policy and participates in many international organizations. It is particularly active in West African regional affairs and in the African Union. Relations between Togo and neighboring states are generally good.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Togo maintains diplomatic relations with:

File:Diplomatic relations of Togo.svg
#	Country	Date
1	France	Template:Dts
2	Germany	Template:Dts
3	United Kingdom	Template:Dts
4	United States	Template:Dts
5	Russia	Template:Dts
6	Switzerland	Template:Dts
7	Liberia	Template:Dts
8	Israel	Template:Dts
9	Egypt	Template:Dts
10	Serbia	Template:Dts
11	Czech Republic	Template:Dts
12	Japan	Template:Dts
13	Guinea	Template:Dts
14	Netherlands	Template:Dts
15	Belgium	Template:Dts
16	Italy	Template:Dts
17	Canada	Template:Dts
18	Lebanon	Template:Dts
19	India	Template:Dts
20	Brazil	Template:Dts
21	Niger	Template:Dts
22	Turkey	Template:Dts
23	Poland	Template:Dts
24	Nigeria	Template:Dts
25	Ghana	Template:Dts
26	South Korea	Template:Dts
27	Pakistan	Template:Dts
28	Spain	Template:Dts
29	Tunisia	Template:Dts
30	Denmark	Template:Dts
31	Gabon	Template:Dts
32	Mali	Template:Dts
33	Hungary	Template:Dts
34	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Template:Dts
35	Austria	Template:Dts
36	Romania	Template:Dts
37	Norway	Template:Dts
38	Luxembourg	Template:Dts
39	China	Template:Dts
40	North Korea	Template:Dts
—	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	Template:Dts
41	Libya	Template:Dts
42	Argentina	Template:Dts
43	Bulgaria	Template:Dts
44	Vietnam	Template:Dts
45	Mexico	Template:Dts
46	Somalia	Template:Dts
47	Senegal	Template:Dts
48	Gambia	Template:Dts
49	Albania	Template:Dts
50	Sweden	Template:Dts
51	Portugal	Template:Dts
52	Cuba	Template:Dts
53	Costa Rica	Template:Dts
54	Benin	Template:Dts
55	Greece	Template:Dts
56	Ecuador	Template:Dts
57	Zimbabwe	Template:Dts
—	Holy See	Template:Dts
58	Burkina Faso	Template:Dts
59	Sudan	Template:Dts
60	Ethiopia	Template:Dts
61	Suriname	Template:Dts
62	Republic of the Congo	Template:Dts
63	Tanzania	Template:Dts
64	Kenya	Template:Dts
65	Chad	Template:Dts
66	Thailand	Template:Dts
67	Vanuatu	Template:Dts
68	Algeria
69	Afghanistan	Template:Dts
70	Angola	Template:Dts
71	Colombia	Template:Dts
—	Template:Country data State of Palestine	Template:Dts
72	Venezuela	Template:Dts
73	Slovakia	Template:Dts
74	South Africa	Template:Dts
75	Qatar	Template:Dts
76	Iran	Template:Dts
77	Template:Country data North Macedonia	Template:Dts
78	Slovenia	Template:Dts
79	Ukraine	Template:Dts
80	Philippines	Template:Dts
81	Brunei	Template:Dts
82	Armenia	Template:Dts
83	Iceland	Template:Dts
84	Indonesia	Template:Dts
85	Morocco	Template:Dts
86	Uruguay	Template:Dts
87	United Arab Emirates	Template:Dts
88	Saudi Arabia	Template:Dts
89	Malta	Template:Dts
90	Malaysia	Template:Dts
91	Australia	Template:Dts
92	Finland	Template:Dts
93	Cambodia	Template:Dts
94	Belarus	Template:Dts
95	Kuwait	Template:Dts
96	Namibia	Template:Dts
97	Azerbaijan	Template:Dts
98	Fiji	Template:Dts
99	Singapore	Template:Dts
100	Montenegro	Template:Dts
101	Mongolia	Template:Dts
102	Template:Country data Georgia	Template:Dts
103	Lithuania	Template:Dts
104	Estonia	Template:Dts
105	Latvia	Template:Dts
106	Turkmenistan	Template:Dts
107	Kazakhstan	Template:Dts
108	Seychelles	Template:Dts
109	El Salvador	Template:Dts
110	Madagascar	Template:Dts
111	Cyprus	Template:Dts
112	Sri Lanka	Template:Dts
113	Chile	Template:Dts
114	Kyrgyzstan	Template:Dts
115	Monaco	Template:Dts
116	Djibouti	Template:Dts
117	Tajikistan	Template:Dts
118	Botswana	Template:Dts
119	Equatorial Guinea	Template:Dts
120	Rwanda	Template:Dts
121	Mauritius	Template:Dts
122	Oman	Template:Dts
123	Andorra	Template:Dts
124	Peru	Template:Dts
125	Ireland	Template:Dts
126	Saint Kitts and Nevis	Template:Dts
127	San Marino	Template:Dts
128	Nepal	Template:Dts
129	Panama	Template:Dts
130	Myanmar	Template:Dts
131	Nicaragua	Template:Dts
132	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Template:Dts
133	Uganda	Template:Dts
134	Zambia	Template:Dts
135	Jamaica	Template:Dts
136	Dominican Republic	Template:Dts
137	Bahrain	Template:Dts
138	Maldives	Template:Dts
139	Croatia	Template:Dts
140	Bolivia	Template:Dts
141	Guatemala	Template:Dts
142	Uzbekistan	Template:Dts
143	Bahamas	Template:Dts
144	Guinea-Bissau	Template:Dts
145	Mauritania	Template:Dts
146	Burundi	Unknown
147	Cameroon	Unknown
148	Ivory Coast	Unknown
149	Sierra Leone	Unknown
150	Timor-Leste	Unknown

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Angola	27 September 1988	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 September 1988 when M. Brito Sozinho, Angola's Ambassador to Nigeria, presented his credentials to the Togolese Head of State, General Gnassingbe Eyadema.
Belgium	1961	Belgium is accredited to Togo from its embassy in Cotonou, Benin. Togo has an embassy in Brussels.
Benin	5 September 1983	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 September 1983 when Ambassador of Benin to Togo (resident in accra) Mr. Lucien Tonoukoin presented his credentials to Head of State General Eyadema.
Brazil	26 October 1962	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 October 1962 Brazil has an embassy in Lomé. Togo has an embassy in Brasília.
Canada	7 June 1962	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 June 1962 Canada has a high commission in Lomé. Togo has a high commission in Ottawa.
Chad	10 April 1985	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 April 1985 when Ambassador of Chad Mr. Youssouf Nboudou Mbami presented his credentials to President of Togo.
China	19 September 1972	See China–Togo relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 19 September 1972 China has an embassy in Lomé. Togo has an embassy in Beijing.
Template:Country data Democratic Republic of Congo	14 July 1970	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 July 1970 when Congo-Kinshasa's first Ambassador to Togo, Mr. Kondo Belan, presented his credentials to Head of State Etienne Eyadema.
Republic of the Congo	6 August 1984	The two countries maintain diplomatic relations and President of Togo Faure Gnassingbé visited the Republic of the Congo in November 2023 meeting Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso.
Cyprus	24 September 2015	Cyprus is accredited to Togo from its high commission in Paris, France.
Denmark	21 June 1968	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 June 1968 when Mrs. Johanne Wright, ambassador of Denmark to Ivory Coast and to Togo, presented his letters of credence to Togo.
Ethiopia	11 December 1982	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 December 1982 when Ambassador of Ethiopia (resident in Accra) Mr. Kasate Berham Babina presented letters of credence to President of Togo Gnassingbe Eyadema.
France	27 April 1960	See France–Togo relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 April 1960 France has an embassy in Lomé. Togo has an embassy in Paris.
Gabon	21 June 1968	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 June 1968 when Ambassador of Gabon to Togo (resident in Abidjan) Mr. Abdoulaye M'Bingt presented his credentials. Gabon has a high commission in Lomé. Togo has a high commission in Libreville.
Germany	27 April 1960	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 April 1960 See Germany–Togo relations Germany has an embassy in Lomé. Togo has an embassy in Berlin.
Ghana	21 January 1963	See Ghana–Togo relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 January 1963. After 1918, following the defeat of Germany, the League of Nations divided the German colony of Togoland from north to south, a decision that divided the Ewe people among the Gold Coast, British Togoland, and French Togoland. After 1945, the United Nations (UN) took over the Togoland mandates. During the 1950s, when the independence of Ghana was in sight, demands grew for a separate Ewe state, an idea that Kwame Nkrumah, leader of the Gold Coast independence movement, opposed. Following a UN plebiscite in May 1956, in which a majority of the Ewe voted for union with Ghana, British Togoland became part of the Gold Coast. After Togolese independence in 1960, relations between Togo and Ghana deteriorated, aggravated by political differences and incidents such as smuggling across their common border. At times, relations have verged on open aggression. The result of the transfer of Togoland to Ghana has meant that many Togolese keep one foot on either side of the border, living in Ghana by night and working in the markets of the capital, Lomé, by day. Ghana is the only Commonwealth member with which Togo shares a border. Ghana has a high commission in Lomé. Togo has a high commission in Accra.
India	31 August 1962	See India–Togo relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 August 1962 India has a high commission in Lomé. Togo has a high commission in New Delhi.
Israel	8 September 1960	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 September 1960 when has been accredited first Ambassador of Israel to Togo (resident in Accra) Mr. Moshe Bitan. Togo severed ties with Israel on 21 September 1973. Diplomatic relations were re-established on 9 June 1987. In August 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received Togo's President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe in Jerusalem during his official five-day trip to Israel. In December 2017, Togo voted at the UN to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Japan	29 May 1967	Japan is accredited to Togo from its embassy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Togo has an embassy in Tokyo.
Kenya	9 April 1985	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 April 1985 when Ambassador of Kenya Mr. Kefa Onyoni presented letters of credentials to President of Togo, general Gnassingbe Eyadema.
Kuwait	6 October 2010	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 October 2010 when has been opened Embassy of Togo in Kuwait. Kuwait is accredited to Togo from its embassy in Cotonou, Benin. Togo has an embassy in Kuwait City.
Lebanon	7 June 1962	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 June 1962 when first Ambassador of Lebanon to Togo (resident in Dakar) Mr. Mohammed Ali Hamade presented his credentials.
Liberia	29 July 1960	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 July 1960 when accredited first Ambassador of Liberia to Togo Mr. John Cox.
Libya	3 November 1973	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 November 1973. Libya has an embassy in Lomé. Togo had an embassy in Tripoli, which closed in 2015.
Mexico	25 October 1975	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 October 1975 Mexico is accredited to Togo from its embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. Togo is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.
Netherlands	5 October 1961	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 October 1961 Netherlands is accredited to Togo from its embassy in Accra, Ghana. Togo is accredited to Togo from its embassy in Brussels, Belgium.
Nigeria	1962	Nigeria has a high commission in Lomé. Togo has a high commission in Abuja.
Pakistan	8 May 1964	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 May 1964 when M. Mir Muhammed Shaikh, Pakistan's first Ambassador to Togo, presented his credentials.
Template:Country data Palestine		During the votes to admit Palestine to UNESCO as a member state in October 2011 and as Non-Member Observer State, in November 2012 Togo abstained from the voting.
Senegal	1 June 1976	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 June 1976 when Senegal's first Ambassador to Togo, Mr. Massamba Codou Diouf, presented his credentials to President Eyadéma.
South Africa	13 January 1997	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 January 1997 South Africa is accredited to Togo from its high commission in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Togo has a high commission in Pretoria.
South Korea	26 July 1963	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 July 1963, but severed 16 September 1974 and re-established on 23 January 1991
Spain	22 October 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 October 1965 Spain is accredited to Togo from its embassy in Accra, Ghana. Togo is accredited to Spain from its embassy in Paris, France.
Tanzania	27 December 1984	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 December 1984 when Ambassador of Tanzania major general S. H. Sarakikya presented his credentials to President of Togo.
Turkey	6 December 1962	See Togo–Turkey relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 December 1962 when accredited first Ambassador of Turkey to Togo (resident in Accra) Mr. Kamran Acet. Turkey has an embassy in Lomé. Trade volume between the two countries was $106 million USD in 2019.
United Kingdom	27 April 1960	See Togo–United Kingdom relations Togo established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 27 April 1960. Togo maintains a high commission in London. The United Kingdom is not accredited to Togo through a high commission; the UK develops relations through its high commission in Accra, Ghana. Both countries share common membership of the Atlantic co-operation pact, the Commonwealth, and the World Trade Organization.
United States	27 April 1960	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 April 1960 See Togo–United States relations The United States and Togo have had generally good relations since its independence, although the United States has never been one of Togo's major trading partners. The largest share of U.S. exports to Togo generally has been used clothing and scrap textiles. Other important U.S. exports include rice, wheat, shoes, and tobacco products, and U.S. personal computers and other office electronics are becoming more widely used. Togo has an embassy in Washington, D.C. United States has an embassy in Lomé.

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Togo
• List of diplomatic missions of Togo