Mr Gnassingbé carried out a minor cabinet reshuffle in February, appointing Dokissima Gnama Latta, a colonel in the army, as minister of security after his predecessor, Atcha Mohamed Titikpina (now a general), was promoted to be chief of staff of the Togolese armed forces in December 2010. The president also named the outgoing chief of staff, General Ayéva Essofa, as minister of water and sanitation, replacing Zakari Nandja, another former chief of staff, who left the cabinet. These appointments followed Mr Gnassingbé's usual practice of moving round top military officers as a coup prevention strategy). The appointment of Mr Latta-a former head of the civil aviation authority-will have little impact on security policy.

More controversially, in early March the president sacked the minister of trade and the private sector, Kokou Gozan (an independent), replacing him with Arthème Ahoomey-Zunu, secretary-general in the President's Office. No reason was given, but Mr Gozan's downfall stems from a row that erupted in February about his allocation of exclusive food import licences to two well-connected firms, accompanied by offers of cheap credit and easier customs procedures. Mr Gozan said that the arrangement would reduce food prices, but anger among small traders and threats of protest led to his sacking and the suspension of the licences. The final part of the reshuffle was the appointment of the minister of justice, Kokou Tozoun, to head the media regulatory authority, and his replacement in cabinet by a prominent lawyer, Tchitchao Tchalim.