Lomé and Libreville explore new ways to bolster bilateral cooperation
Monday, 06 December 2021 16:25 
(Togo First) - Gabon and Togo are looking for new ways to boost their cooperation for the benefit of their respective populations. A meeting was held in Lomé last week in this framework. It was chaired by the Togolese Prime Minister, Victoire Dogbé, and her Gabonese counterpart, Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, who was in Togo on a 48-hour official visit.
Participants discussed topics related to various sectors, including agriculture, the digital industry, and the wood sector, among others.
Relative to agriculture, the two delegations stressed the need to have a participative strategy, a national plan to allocate lands, and a fishery exploitation system. They did so after reviewing issues related to the sector’s potential, production, investment opportunities, the infrastructure servicing farming areas, the energetic cost of processing facilities, land, and importing fishery products.
Regarding digitization, the Gabonese and Togolese officials said they need to launch cooperation axes to implement the different components of the Novissi project as well as innovative ways to handle the health crisis in Gabon.
For the wood industry, both parties committed to continuing talks about a memorandum of understanding toward establishing a cooperation framework that will foster legal supply and acquisition of wood between them. In line with this objective, Togo intends to, according to its presidency, “emulate Gabon’s successful strategy regarding wood processing, and proceed to the efficient installation of a wood-processing unit at the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA).” In this regard, “the State of Togo will also be able to benefit from Gabon's carbon credit mechanism, which will enable it to support its reforestation plan.”
During Gabon’s PM visit, her delegation visited the Grand Lomé technical landfill. Credible sources reported that they subsequently expressed interest in taking advantage of Togo’s experience in terms of urban waste management.
Officials from the two nations also discussed issues about inclusion and social protection, communication, transport, maritime economy, and institutional relations.
Togo and Gabon, let it be recalled, have been cooperating for several years, notably in the above-mentioned sectors.
Esaïe Edoh
