Faure Gnassinge, who’s been in power 15 years, claims overwhelmingly to have secured a fourth mandate.

Agbéyomé Kodjo,a former Togolese Prime Minister who was the man opposition candidate in the Presidential poll claims fake polling stations were set up during Saturday’s voting.

He further claims there was multiple voting and ballot stuffing.

Soldiers surrounded his house during voting to allow Gnassinge’s supporters to  rig the election.

The President has tampered with the constitution to enable him to stay in power until 2030.

He took over  in 2005 from his father Gnassinge Eyadema who had been in power for 38 years.

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A Greek oil tanker off Togo and a Norwegian bulk carrier are the latest targets of the buccaneers.

Four crew members had been kidnapped from the Greek tanker attacked off Togo. A security guard was shot and injured. 

Nine sailors  were abducted from the Norwegian bulk carrier off Benin.

Figures from the  International Maritime Bureau indicate these bring to 75 the number  seafarers seized this past year by pirates seeking ransom payments from the ship owners.

Millions of dollars have been paid by companies considering whether to send vessels into the Gulf of Guinea. 

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The voting follows ten days of protests calling for and end to the 51-yer Gnassingbe dynasty in that West African country.

The 14-party opposition coalition in Togo is boycotting today’s parliamentary election, citing irregularities in its preparation.

The coalition’s calling on voters in this country of nearly eight million people to stay away from the polls.

It’s demanding an overhaul the electoral commission, opening of the political space, increased transparency and constitutional reforms – most importantly the introduction of a presidential term limit.

Faure Gnassingbe has been at the helm since 2005, having succeeded his father Gnassingbe Eyadema who died in office having ruled Togo for 38 years.

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They’re been asked to bring credentials enabling them to sign bilateral air service agreements.

Intra African travelers all to often have to spend time and money flying north to Europe to make continental connections.

It’s an expensive an time-consuming vestige of colonialism.

The Single African Air Transport Market was launched at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa last January.

Twenty five African countries, including South Africa, have signed up to it.

Since Friday their respective aviation experts have been working at achieving a single market.

The ministers have flown in to give it their seal of approval today.

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They’ll improve informations sharing and  pay into a maritime security fund, hoping that this will boost development.

38 of the 54 African countries have coastlines.

90% of African imports come by sea, making maritime security paramount.

Pirates and smugglers have been able to slip between territorial waters with little trouble.

Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso hails the binding African Union agreement  signed by 43 countries as

historic.

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta says it shows Africa’s

ability to put together a continent-wide strategy.

No fewer than 18 heads-of-state were at the Togo summit.

Maritime security analyst at the Institute for

Security Studies Timothy Walker says the Togo deal cannot be the final step. There is still a lot of  work to do.

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