Timbuktu Institute September 2026, Week 2  

In Togo, this week's news is marked by the country's strategic position in the new African geopolitics. Attending the World Nuclear Symposium in London, whose theme was “From Ambition to Action,” the President of the Council stressed the central role of financing, particularly the cost of capital, in the construction of power plants. According to Faure Gnassingbé, “Africa no longer has a problem of nuclear ambition. It has a problem of capital.” He emphasized the main obstacle to the development of nuclear power on the continent, arguing that “the new global nuclear age will not happen without Africa.”

Nuclear Power as a New Instrument of Strategic Positioning in African Geopolitics

Togo is thus issuing a solemn call to its peers to “strengthen skills,” “regulatory capacities” and “value chains” so that the continent can better position itself in this market. It should be noted that the country continues its efforts to become a strategic hub in this field. As a reminder, the next Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA) will be held from June 1 to 3, 2027, in Lomé. It will be an opportunity to create a space for cooperation on African nuclear energy.

Between Sovereignty and Civil Liberties: The Filmmakers' Case Reignites Tensions With Paris

Meanwhile, the filmmakers' case has resurfaced. Provisionally released on September 1, they are not yet in the clear, as thejudicial investigation is still ongoing. One of them, Gaël Mocaër, spoke on France 24 and stated that “detention conditions were entirely acceptable.” It should be noted that this case has added fuel to the fire between Paris and Lomé. Already in 2025, the French media outlets RFI and France 24 had been suspended, fueling the debate over the shrinking of civic space and press freedom in Togo. For its part, the government insists on sovereignty, but also, and above all, on compliance with applicable legislation.