Togo Ramps Up Preparations for COP30 in Brazil

Economic governance

Tuesday, 16 September 2025 16:39

Togo Ramps Up Preparations for COP30 in Brazil

Highlights

Togo has launched its preparations for COP30, set for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.
Environment Minister Foli-Bazi Katari met with six international partners, including UN agencies and the German Embassy, to mobilize support.
An inter-ministerial committee will draft Togo’s priority framework, to be validated with partners before submission.

As the countdown to the 30th UN Climate Conference (COP30) begins, Togo has started shaping its position. From September 8 to 12, Environment Minister Foli-Bazi Katari held a series of meetings in Lomé with six international partners to secure backing for the country’s proposals.

The institutions included the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Program (WFP), and the German Embassy. Discussions centered on the priorities Togo plans to present at COP30 and on strategies to strengthen its negotiating position.

“Going to or returning from the COP, empty-handed, is not an option,” Katari stressed.

The input collected during the consultations will be reviewed by an inter-ministerial committee tasked with drafting a framework document. This paper will group the main priorities Togo intends to defend in Belém.

Once finalized, the draft will be shared in a follow-up session with development partners for validation, ensuring broad alignment before the international negotiations.

Scheduled for November 10–21, 2025 in Belém, COP30 will gather global leaders to negotiate climate action and financing. For Togo, the process now underway is designed to guarantee that the country enters the talks with clear priorities, partner support, and a stronger chance of securing tangible commitments.

Esaïe Edoh

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.