Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Republic of Togo
conventional short form:
Togo
local long form:
Republique Togolaise
local short form:
none
former:
French Togo
Data code:
TO
Type of government:
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Capital:
Lome
Administrative divisions:
23 circumscriptions (circonscriptions, singular - circonscription); Amlame (Amou), Aneho (Lacs), Atakpame (Ogou), Badou (Wawa), Bafilo (Assoli), Bassar (Bassari), Dapango (Tone), Kande (Keran), Klouto (Kloto), Pagouda (Binah), Lama-Kara (Kozah), Lome (Golfe), Mango (Oti), Niamtougou (Doufelgou), Notse (Haho), Pagouda, Sotouboua, Tabligbo (Yoto), Tchamba, Nyala, Tchaoudjo, Tsevie (Zio), Vogan (Vo)
note:
the 23 units may now be called prefectures (singular - prefecture) and reported name changes for individual units are included in parentheses
Independence:
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
Constitution:
multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
Legal system:
French-based court system
Suffrage:
NA years of age; universal adult
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967) reelected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 25 August 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); all major opposition parties boycotted the election; Gen. EYADEMA won 96.5% of the vote
head of government:
Prime Minister Edem KODJO (since April 1994) appointed by the president
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly:
elections last held 6 and 20 February 1994 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (81 total) CAR 36, RPT 35, UTD 7, UJD 2, CFN 1
note:
the Supreme Court ordered new elections for three seats of the Action Committee for Renewal (CAR) and the Togolese Union for Democracy (UTD), lowering their total to 34 and six seats, respectively; the remaining three seats have not been filled
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel); Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders:
Rally of the Togolese People (RPT), President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA; Coordination des Forces Nouvelles (CFN), Joseph KOFFIGOH; Togolese Union for Democracy (UTD), Edem KODJO; Action Committee for Renewal (CAR), Yao AGBOYIBOR; Union for Democracy and Solidarity (UDS), Antoine FOLLY; Pan-African Sociodemocrats Group (GSP), an alliance of three radical parties: CDPA, PDR, and PSP; Democratic Convention of African Peoples (CDPA), Leopold GNININVI; Party for Democracy and Renewal (PDR), Zarifou AYEVA; Pan-African Social Party (PSP), Francis AGBAGLI; Union of Forces for Change (UFC), Gilchrist OLYMPIO (in exile); Union of Justice and Democracy (UJD), Lal TAXPANDJAN
note:
Rally of the Togolese People (RPT), led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Kossivi OSSEYI
chancery:
2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-4212
FAX:
[1] (202) 232-3190
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Johnny YOUNG
embassy:
Rue Pelletier Caventou and Rue Vauban, Lome
mailing address:
B. P. 852, Lome
telephone:
[228] 21 77 17, 21 29 91 through 21 29 94
FAX:
[228] 21 79 52
Flag:
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
