France’s foreign minister has warned that militant violence is spreading across West Africa after talks in Lomé.
Armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State have destabilised the Sahel for more than a decade.
The violence is now expanding into northern coastal areas, including Togo, amid shifting regional security dynamics.
The trend follows French troop withdrawals after military governments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger expelled foreign forces.
Jean-Noël Barrot’s visit marked the first by a French foreign minister to Togo in around ten years.
France remains a former colonial power, while Togo is still a key regional partner despite widening geopolitical ties with Russia.
Barrot said both sides share concern over rising insecurity and the growing militant threat across the sub-region.
He met President Faure Gnassingbé and praised Togo’s role in regional mediation and security cooperation efforts.
France says it supports regional initiatives aimed at containing violence and strengthening stability across West Africa.
The minister highlighted Togo’s strategic role in efforts to counter the spread of insecurity from the Sahel southwards.
France will co-host a major Africa summit in Nairobi next month focused on security and regional cooperation.