Despite protests, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Ministers of Togo, appointed a new government on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Many outgoing ministers have been reappointed to their positions.
Five months after the resignation of the previous cabinet, the new government was officially announced on Wednesday evening by Stanislas Baba, Secretary General of the Government.
The cabinet, composed of 27 members, maintains several key figures of Faure Gnassingbé’s regime. Among them is Gilbert Bawara, a close ally of the president, who moves from the Ministry of Public Service Reform to the Ministry of Relations with Parliament and Institutions.
Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs—known for his recent pan-Africanist and anti-imperialist stances—remains in office, as does Calixte Batossie Madjoulba, Minister of Security.
“The Ministries of National Defense, Public Service and Social Dialogue, Labor, and Transport are attached to the Presidency of the Council,” the presidency announced.
The previous government had resigned on May 2, 2025, on the eve of Faure Gnassingbé’s inauguration, and had been handling day-to-day affairs since then.
The cabinet reshuffle comes after a wave of anti-government protests that shook Lomé, the capital, in June and July. According to civil society groups, seven people were killed during the demonstrations.
Protesters had denounced the constitutional reform adopted in 2024, which allows Faure Gnassingbé, leading the country since 2005, to serve as President of the Council of Ministers without any term limit. Under the new system, the presidency of the republic has become a largely ceremonial role, while real executive power lies with the Council.
Although street protests have eased in recent weeks, civil society organizations in the diaspora continue to mobilize against the regime.
Togo: President Faure Gnassingbé appoints new government, key allies retained
