Officially named the "Togolese Republic," Togo is a long and narrow country in western Africa that has been independent from France since 1960. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east, Burkina Faso to the north, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south.

In 2005, President Gnassingbe Eyadema died and his son was installed as his successor by the country's military. This cast widespread doubt as to Togo's commitment to bringing about a democracy, even after Faure Gnassingbe stepped down so that elections could be held. He won those elections amid much skepticism as to their validity. 500 people were killed in the unrest following the elections, from which the Togolese population continues to recover.