(press release)
On June 16, RFI and France 24 were suspended for three months in Togo by the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC). At the end of this suspension, on Tuesday, September 16, broadcasting of the two media outlets was not restored in the country, contrary to the HAAC's decision.
A delegation from RFI and France 24 was due to travel to Lomé this week, coinciding with the restoration of the two media outlets, as part of a joint consultation process requested by the HAAC, to which France Médias Monde had responded favorably in June. However, due to the failure to obtain visas and confirm appointments with the relevant authorities, the delegation was forced to cancel the trip.
In order not to compromise the positive momentum that seemed to be building with the planned restoration of signals followed by constructive dialogue, France Médias Monde considers it preferable to postpone the official mission and promptly dispatch a technical mission to clear up any misunderstandings and continue discussions with the Togolese regulatory authority, particularly in the context of renewing the agreement for RFI's FM broadcasting in the country.