Climate Change: Togo launches a project to set up 10 smart cities

Economic governance

Saturday, 11 June 2022 04:06

Climate Change: Togo launches a project to set up 10 smart cities

(Togo First) - In a bid to tackle climate issues, Togo plans to set up Smart Cities. The government launched a project to this end on June 9, 2022.

In detail, a dozen municipalities will be supported in drawing a strategy for setting up these smart cities, and for preparing an action plan to mitigate and adapt to climate change, in line with municipal development plans (PDC).

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The project, which was launched by the minister of the environment, Katari Foli-Bazi, is backed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Climate Technology Centre & Networks, which is the operational arm of the Technology Mechanism of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).

"We have all we need to succeed," the minister told the mayors and representatives of the local authorities of the 10 municipalities. "The challenge is clear. We must reinvent the cities. The effectiveness of decentralization and the prospects for local development are an opportunity to act against poverty and vulnerability of the population," said Aliou Dia, resident representative of the UN agency in charge of development, at the launch of the meeting.

The project will ultimately enable benefiting municipalities to rely on new technologies and manage space more rationally to meet challenges associated with the growing urban population, relative to land, access to water, energy, waste management, access to school infrastructure, transportation, health services, productivity/conservation or agricultural processing.

In March 2021, the government, the UNDP, and the CTCN signed an agreement regarding this same project.

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.