African leaders lifted sanctions against Togo after Faure Gnassingbe bowed to huge international pressure and quit as president of the West African country, the United Nations said on Saturday. African leaders, European officials and the United States had urged Gnassingbe to step down following his appointment as president by Togo's army hours after his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, died on Feb. 5, ending his 38-year rule. "As a result of those positive developments, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has lifted the sanctions imposed on Togo," U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement on Saturday. Thousands of people took to the streets of the capital Lome on Saturday in two rival, peaceful, marches planned before Gnassingbe, 39, announced his decision to quit and run for president in forthcoming elections late on Friday night. West African nations had suspended Togo from its bloc, banned its leaders from travelling, recalled ambassadors and decreed an arms embargo as punishment for violating Togo's constitution when Gnassingbe was appointed. In a bid to stem international fury, Gnassingbe had pledged to hold presidential elections in 60 days in the former French colony but had indicated he would stay on until the vote. --More 1816 Local Time 1516 GMT
