#West #African #states #Gabon #Togo #join #Commonwealth
Gabon and Togo joined the Commonwealth on Saturday, becoming the latest nations with no historical ties to Britain to join the English-speaking club led by Queen Elizabeth II.
The 54-nation group of mostly former British colonies accepted Togo and Gabon’s bid for membership on the final day of their leadership summit in Rwanda.
“We welcomed Gabon and Togo as new members and welcome them all to the Commonwealth family,” Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at the closing press conference.
The French-speaking West African countries are the first new members of the Commonwealth since Rwanda in 2009.
Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said membership opened the door to 2.5 billion consumers in the Commonwealth realm, brought new educational opportunities and sparked a “enthusiasm” for English among his countrymen.
“Togo’s membership is motivated by a desire to expand its diplomatic, political and economic network…as well as to get closer to the English-speaking world,” he told AFP.
It also allows the small developing country of 8.5 million people to redefine bilateral relations with the UK outside the European Union post-Brexit, he added.
Francophone states have also sought Commonwealth membership in recent years in a move away from France, analysts said.
Togolese political scientist Mohamed Madi Djabakate said the move will prove popular as French influence in Togo is often blamed for its economic woes.
“Togo’s entry into the Commonwealth is better for many people than sharing the French language and culture, which ultimately didn’t help development,” he told AFP.
– ‘Write history’ –
Rwanda’s own membership comes at a time of immense tensions between Kigali and Paris, and the East African state has forged close ties with the UK in the years since its admission, including a controversial migrant deal agreed this year.
Gabonese President Ali Bongo said his country was making “history” by joining the group.
“Sixty-two years after its independence, our country is preparing to break through with a new chapter,” Bongo said in a statement on Twitter.
“It’s a world of opportunities for Gabon on an economic, diplomatic and cultural level.”
Their inclusion is a boon to the Commonwealth at a time when their relevance and purpose are once again being debated.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the interest of new members showed the organization was alive and well.
But it could also raise questions about the Commonwealth’s commitment to good governance and democracy as core values of its charter.
A former French colony on the Atlantic, oil-rich Gabon has been ruled by the Bongo family for 55 years.
Ali Bongo took power after the death of his father and returned to power in 2016 after an election marred by deadly violence and allegations of fraud.
A former German and then French colony, Togo has also been under dynastic rule for more than half a century.
General Gnassingbe Eyadema ruled with an iron fist from 1967 until his death in 2005, when his son Faure Gnassingbe took power.
He was re-elected in polls, all of which were contested by the opposition.
Born out of the British Empire, the Commonwealth represents one-third of humanity and includes nations across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Mozambique – a former Portuguese colony – became the first Commonwealth member with no historical ties to Britain when it joined in 1995.
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