It was with this in mind that a workshop was held in Togo from December 15th to 16th, 2025, in the Togolese capital, bringing together more than twenty traditional and customary chiefs from ten West and Central African countries committed to land governance. The workshop aimed to adopt their charter, a document clearly outlining the rules, principles, rights, and commitments of the CGLTE OA (Coalition of Traditional and Customary Chiefs of Africa). On Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, the two-day workshop concluded, during which important decisions were made. Following intense discussions on the document, the participants unanimously adopted the charter, changed the name of the Alliance to the Alliance of Traditional and Customary Chiefs of Africa, and selected Togo as the headquarters of the Alliance. Furthermore, given the importance of the World Social Forum, the customary chiefs decided to actively participate in the event. They will lead activities for traditional leaders focusing on topics such as the place and role of traditional leaders in peace and social cohesion at all levels, the governance of natural resources, and the values of customs and traditions. Furthermore, through an appeal, the alliance urges all segments of society across the continent to mobilize massively for this global event, which will take place from August 4th to 8th, 2026, in Cotonou. It is worth noting that the meeting was a complete success, with representatives from two ministries: the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Local Governance, and Customary Affairs, and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, in addition to a representative from the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). Finally, the workshop concluded with the signing of the Charter by all participating countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Mali, Senegal, Chad, and Togo. Special thanks were extended to Togo, particularly to His Majesty TOGBUI KPEGBA TEGLI III, for their hospitality. Convinced of the traditional leaders' commitment to inclusive governance of natural resources, Massa KONE, spokesperson for the CGLTE OA, thanked all the Majesties and urged them to become more involved in ensuring safe access to land for women and youth, thus contributing to sustainable development in Africa.
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