In a pivotal move to confront terrorism and humanitarian displacement, five West African countries—Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Burkina Faso—have signed a historic declaration in Lomé, Togo, committing to a joint framework for national security and refugee protection. The agreement, signed on the sidelines of a high-level regional conference, outlines coordinated measures to address the dual challenge of violent extremism and the rising number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region. More than 2.7 million people have been displaced in West Africa due to escalating attacks by jihadist groups, particularly in Burkina Faso and northern parts of coastal states.
Under the Lomé Declaration, the five countries pledge to uphold international humanitarian and refugee law while reinforcing their border security and intelligence-sharing mechanisms. It marks the first time these coastal and Sahelian countries have committed to a unified strategy that acknowledges the need to protect vulnerable populations without compromising national safety. The declaration also emphasizes community-based protection mechanisms, access to basic services for refugees and host communities, and stronger cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and regional bodies such as ECOWAS.
West African officials and humanitarian groups hailed the pact as a model for regional response, with Ghana’s Minister for the Interior describing it as “a crucial framework for balancing compassion and vigilance.” The declaration is expected to guide future policies and resource mobilization for managing displacement and insecurity in the volatile West African corridor.
