GOVERNMENT
President Gnassingbe faces a significant challenge, balancing entrenched interests with the need to implement democratic reforms and revive Togo's deteriorating economy. Togo's long-suffering population has seen its living standards decline precipitously since the beginning of the 1990s.
The Togolese judiciary is modeled on the French system. For administrative purposes, Togo is divided into 30 prefectures, each having an appointed prefect.
Principal
Government Officials
President--Faure Gnassingbe
Prime Minister--Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation--Koffi Essaw
Minister of Territorial Administration, Decentralization, and Local Authorities--Pascal Bodjona
Minister of Cooperation, Development, and Country Planning--Gilbert Bawara
Minister of Justice--Kokou Tozoun
Minister of Health--Komlan Mally
Minister of Security--Atcha Titikpina
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fishing--Kossi Messan Ewovor
Next Elections Scheduled
Presidential elections--2010
Local elections--unknown
Type: Republic.
Independence: April 27, 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship).
Constitution: Adopted 1992.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state); prime minister (head of government). Legislative--National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court.
Subdivisions: 30 prefectures.
Political parties: Rassemblement du Peuple Togolais (RPT); Union des Forces de Changement (UFC); Comite d'action pour le Renouveau (CAR), Pan-African Patriotic Convergence Party (CPP), Democratic Convention of the Togolese People (CDPA).
Suffrage: Universal adult.
National holiday: Independence Day, April 27.
