U.S. Statement at the Universal Periodic Review of Togo
As delivered by Jason Mack
Delegation of the United States of America
Geneva,
26th Session, October 31, 2016
The United States warmly welcomes the Togolese delegation.
We commend Togo on its peaceful and democratic 2015 presidential election. We note that Togo has remained a regional force for peace in West Africa and continues to promote economic development.
We also commend Togo’s High Commission for Reconciliation and Reinforcement of National Unity for its efforts to investigate past human rights violations and abuses, foster reconciliation, and develop recommendations for instituting constitutional term limits on executive power.
We commend Togo’s decision to plan for local elections for the first time in 30 years.
We remain concerned, however, by a persistent increase in the number of pretrial detentions and poor prison conditions. We also note the lack of reliable and active institutions dedicated to investigating corruption.
Bearing in mind these concerns, we recommend that Togo:
- Solidify Togo’s democratic process by organizing a popular referendum on presidential term limits and setting a date for and plan to hold local elections;
- Address the growing problem of pretrial detentions and prison conditions;
- Strengthen the rule of law by depoliticizing the judiciary and law enforcement, and by strengthening investigations into corruption and human rights violations and abuses.