Togo's opposition coalition boycotts talks with govt [The Morning Call]

Togo’s main opposition coalition, which has led protests against President Faure Gnassingbe for more than three months, has boycotted government consultations for talks on ending the political impasse in the country. The opposition had been demanding constitutional reform and an end to the Gnassingbe leadership dynasty in Togo. The international community had called for talks between the two sides to end the stalemate and in the last few weeks, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo and his Guinean counterpart Alpha Conde have been acting as mediators between the two sides. But only five out of the 14 parties comprising the main opposition bloc were invited to preliminary discussions, scheduled to take place behind closed doors at the presidency in the capital, Lome. Opposition coalition spokeswoman Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson said the alliance refused to attend the meeting in the face of the government’s “diversionary tactic.”