Foreign Affairs Ministers from across Africa, gathered in Lomé this Monday, June 2, 2025, for the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the African Political Alliance (APA), issued a strong call for a fundamental reshaping of Africa’s position in international relations.
Under the auspices of Togolese diplomacy, discussions highlighted the urgent need for a strategic repositioning in a world increasingly defined by uncertainty, reconfigurations, and shifting power dynamics.
The 3rd APA Ministerial Conference, held under the theme “Africa’s Place in a Changing World: The Challenge of a Strategic and Diplomatic Repositioning,” convened heads of diplomacy from several African nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey opened the proceedings by urging a departure from the defensive postures of the past. He asserted that Africa must shed its victim mentality and actively participate in shaping its own history. “The world is changing, and Africa must change too. It cannot remain voiceless, inaudible, or marginalized in international decision-making processes,” he declared, imploring African states to embrace boldness, innovation, and solidarity.
Togolese diplomacy emphasized the imperative of moving beyond isolated national initiatives to forge a collective framework capable of effectively defending the continent’s interests on the international stage. The nascent APA aims to serve as a crucial lever for structuring this uninhibited diplomacy by strengthening intra-African solidarity and promoting a unified African voice on major global issues.
Strategic autonomy and BRICS engagement
Discussions were structured around two key themes: strategic autonomy in defense and security, and a repositioning strategy vis-à-vis the BRICS nations. On the first point, Malian Minister Abdoulaye Diop stressed that Africa can no longer delegate its security in a context of evolving geopolitical landscapes and growing hegemony. He denounced unbalanced multilateralism, stating that “strategic autonomy is neither a luxury nor an option, but an obligation.”
The Malian foreign minister presented ten proposals, including the establishment of an African military industry, endogenous financing of security systems, and the creation of a collective defense mechanism. He also criticized the continent’s perceived passivity during NATO’s 2011 intervention in Libya, which he views as a key factor in the subsequent destabilization of the Sahel region.
For Togolese diplomacy, the overarching objective is clear: to elevate Africa to a central player in the emerging multipolar world order, no longer as a subordinate entity but as a proactive force and an equal partner. The Lomé conference is expected to culminate in concrete proposals to institutionalize this dynamic, with the anticipated adoption of a “Lomé Declaration” as a guiding roadmap.
On the sidelines of the conference, the heads of the ministerial delegations were granted an audience with Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe. This meeting served as an opportunity to reaffirm the Togolese authorities’ unwavering commitment to a sovereign Africa that is strategically aligned with its own priorities and determined to claim its rightful place in global governance.
AC/fss/abj/APA