MCC 2021: Togo, second-best reformer in Africa
Wednesday, 11 November 2020 17:16 
(Togo First) - From 14 indicators in 2019 and 2020, Togo validated 15 out of the 20 indicators on the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) scorecard for 2021. The card was released on November 10, 2020.
This makes Togo one out of 25 countries that validated a majority of the MCC indicators, and the second-best reformer in Africa, after Cape Verde. Meanwhile, 53 countries were taken off the rankings due to insufficient reforms.
Back to Togo, the five indicators where it performed best are business start-ups, primary education expenditures, freedom of information, fiscal policy, and access to credit.
Significant improvements were recorded in other key indicators, such as control of corruption, land rights, and rule of law.
This is the fifth consecutive year that Togo meets the MCC’s three eligibility criteria. The country, therefore, consolidates its position concerning the program which will enable it to secure more financing.
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé rejoices!
The new performance is greatly lauded by Lomé. Following the scorecard’s release, Togolese president, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé tweeted: “The scorecard just released by the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) confirms the improvement in our country’s performance. This makes me happy! Our country now validates 15 out of 20 indicators, against 7 five years ago.”
“This promising improvement, he added, bears beautiful perspectives for our economy and our people.” According to the leader, this is due to “many reforms implemented in multiple sectors, especially relative to governance, economic freedom, and investment in human capital.”
The reforms in question, according to Sandra Ablamba Johnson, minister, and secretary-general of the Togolese presidency, were primarily introduced to improve the lives of the Togolese people and not just to “please” international institutions.
More efforts to make
Regardless, Togo should, the MCC observes, make more effort to validate indicators such as children's health, vaccination rate, health expenditures, government efficiency, and political rights. For his part, Stanislas Baba, national coordinator of the MCA, seems perplexed regarding Togo’s new scores which he estimates to be far-fetched, and he noted very little contribution of national actors to the MCC evaluation.
Séna Akoda
