Togo Parliament opens extraordinary session to consider three key bills

Togo's National Assembly opened its second extraordinary session of 2026 in Lomé on Tuesday, with lawmakers expected to consider three major bills. The session was convened at the request of President of the Council Faure Gnassingbé and opened under the leadership of National Assembly President Komi Selom Klassou. Mr. Klassou urged lawmakers to approach the bills with diligence and responsibility, stressing the importance of informed debate and cooperation between Parliament and the executive.

The first bill seeks to strengthen the creation and management of protected areas, addressing issues including customary land use, compensation, benefit-sharing, and financing. The second bill proposes reforms to commercial courts to improve the handling of business disputes, reduce judicial delays, and expand the use of electronic processes. The third concerns Togo's accession to the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, which abolishes the requirement for the legalisation of foreign public documents. Lawmakers are also expected to give final approval to four international instruments already adopted by the Senate relating to nuclear safety and the management of radiological risks, including the 1994 Convention on Nuclear Safety and the 1997 Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management.