At the FII PRIORITY Europe 2026 summit in Rome, held from June 17 to 19, Togo’s President of the Council, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, made a strong case for a renewed economic partnership between Africa and Europe. As the guest of honour at this forum focused on European competitiveness, the Togolese leader highlighted the regional logistics platform role his country aims to play in transforming global value chains.
FII PRIORITY Europe summit: Faure Gnassingbé guest of honour in Rome
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council, attended the FII PRIORITY Europe summit on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the Waldorf Astoria Rome Cavalieri. He arrived in the Italian capital the previous day at the invitation of Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and chairman of the FII Institute, the summit organiser.
The gathering brought together heads of state, investors and economic decision-makers under the theme ‘Europe reinvented: capital, sovereignty and strategic autonomy.’ Discussions covered financing mechanisms for reindustrialisation, supply chain resilience, and the transformation of work in an economy shaped by artificial intelligence. Eurozone growth is projected at around 1.2% in 2026, while the potential for additional private investment mobilised across the continent over ten years is estimated at nearly 800 billion euros.
Africa-Europe partnership: Togo bets on investment appeal
In his address, the Togolese leader emphasised the opportunities he believes the Africa-Europe economic partnership offers. With some of the fastest growth rates globally, Africa now represents a prime destination for investment flows, connectivity and logistics infrastructure development, and deeper regional integration.
Togo, he added, intends to fully contribute to this dynamic by leveraging its position as a regional logistics platform. Lomé highlights the performance of its autonomous port, the development of integrated industrial zones, and business climate reforms aimed at attracting more foreign direct investment and strengthening corridors linking the country to its hinterland.
‘A natural gateway to the West African hinterland, serving shared growth,’ declared Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Togo.
Regional connectivity: Lomé’s diplomatic and economic push
This Rome visit is part of a busy week for Togo’s economic diplomacy. Three days earlier, the President of the Council opened the first African Transport Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Lomé. This series of initiatives reflects the government’s ambition to make port, air, and digital connectivity a cornerstone of its national development strategy.
