Ouagadougou Partnership Holds Lomé Talks on Reproductive Health Funding

Health

Wednesday, 17 December 2025 11:57

Ouagadougou Partnership Holds Lomé Talks on Reproductive Health Funding

(Togo First) - The nine member countries of the Ouagadougou Partnership are meeting in Lomé from Tuesday, Dec. 16, for three days of talks focused on domestic financing for sexual and reproductive health.

The meeting brings together governments, civil society organizations and community groups with a shared goal: increasing the number of people using family planning services.

The event aims to identify sustainable strategies by drawing on the experience of countries that have made significant progress in this area. Madagascar, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon are presenting financing models that have led to a substantial increase in resources allocated to the sector.

Marie Ba, director of the Ouagadougou Partnership Coordination Unit, stressed the importance of sharing experiences as a way to advance toward greater autonomy and health sovereignty. Togolese Health Minister Jean-Marie Tessi urged governments and the private sector to step up investment in health programs.

“Accelerating domestic financing is a way of affirming that sexual and reproductive health is a national and regional priority,” the minister said. He also drew a direct connection between such investments and gains in economic productivity.

The Ouagadougou Partnership includes Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. Its objectives include reducing social inequalities and strengthening health systems across the region.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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.