Kara hosts regional forum on inclusive employment and entrepreneurship

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Friday, 08 May 2026 15:07

Kara hosts regional forum on inclusive employment and entrepreneurship

(Togo First) - A regional forum on employment and vocational training opened this week in Kara, 412 km north of Lomé. The three-day event, organized as part of the “Economic Inclusion” project, is due to end Friday.

The initiative is led by Handicap International in partnership with the Togolese Federation of Associations of Persons with Disabilities (FETAPH), with financial support from German development cooperation through GIZ’s ProEmploi+ program. It is being held under the theme: “Employment and Entrepreneurship Forum: Building an Inclusive and Accessible Labor Market for All.”

The forum brings together job seekers, companies, financial institutions and vocational training stakeholders. It aims to improve access to economic opportunities for vulnerable groups, including young people, women and persons with disabilities in the Kara region.

Organizers also want to create a platform for dialogue among labor market stakeholders to improve access to jobs, training and financing.

The program includes awareness sessions on employment support services, training in business plan development and life skills. It also features business meetings, panels on emerging occupations and high-potential sectors, and exhibitions of local products.

For local authorities, the issue goes beyond social inclusion. “Building an inclusive system requires removing physical, social and institutional barriers,” said Gnigbangou Gountibote, secretary-general of the Kara governorate.

Organizers say the persistent exclusion of part of the working-age population limits Togo’s economic potential. In that context, entrepreneurship and vocational training are expected to improve employability and expand participation in the economy.

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.