Provisional Results of Togo's Presidential Election

The legitimacy of Togo’s presidential elections fell short of the aspirations of the Togolese people and the expectations of Togo’s friends in the international community. Irregularities in voter registration and voter card distribution prior to the election and flaws in voting procedures on Election Day raise serious questions about the accuracy of the provisional vote totals, announced April 26.

The United States joins the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union in calling for formation of a national reconciliation government in Togo, with the participation of the principal political forces in the country. Such a government could heal political divisions and should prioritize reforms of the constitution and the electoral code to allow for fully credible, transparent and free elections as soon as possible, in the spirit of the 22 commitments that the Government of Togo undertook with the European Union last year.

Violence is not the answer to this problem. All Togolese political leaders have a responsibility to ensure that their supporters remain calm and avoid violent confrontations.

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