U.S. Committee for Refugees World Refugee Survey 2000 - Togo

Togo hosted more than 10,000 refugees at the end of 1999, the vast majority from Ghana.

Approximately 3,000 Togolese refugees remained outside the country at year's end, including about 2,000 in Benin and about 1,000 in Ghana. No Togolese refugees officially repatriated in 1999.

Refugees from Ghana

Inter-ethnic conflict in northern Ghana in 1994 forced some 15,000 Ghanaians to flee to Togo. Approximately 10,000 remained in northern Togo at the end of 1999.

Togo's reception of refugees was generally hospitable. Most refugee families were integrated into local communities. In October, the government of Ghana publicly expressed its willingness to receive back all Ghanaian refugees. Most, however, were largely self-sufficient and probably will not repatriate, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Refugees from Togo

In 1993, more than 200,000 Togolese fled to neighboring countries to escape a violent crackdown against a pro-democracy movement by Togolese President Eyadéma and the country's military. Most refugees were from Togo's capital, Lomé. Half of the refugee population returned home the following year, but subsequent incidents of persecution forced some to flee again.

A general amnesty for Togolese refugees in 1994 and relative improvements in security in Togo led to the large-scale return of refugees. UNHCR completed an organized repatriation program in mid-1997. In 1998, about 4,000 Togolese refugees returned from Ghana although the official repatriation program had already ended. No Togolese refugees are known to have repatriated in 1999, according to UNHCR.

About 3,000 Togolese refugees remained outside the country at year's end, although some sources estimated twice that number. Many were prominent opponents of the ruling regime and were unlikely to repatriate soon.