Togo Strengthens Disaster Coordination as Heavy Rains Loom

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Friday, 13 March 2026 13:00

Togo Strengthens Disaster Coordination as Heavy Rains Loom

(Togo First) - Togolese authorities are stepping up disaster preparedness as the country braces for potential flooding. The National Civil Protection Agency (ANPC) held a meeting in Lomé on Thursday, bringing together public institutions, technical partners and organizations involved in disaster management.

The gathering, held during the first annual meeting of the national disaster risk reduction platform, aimed to assess the readiness of key stakeholders and improve coordination in the event of major climate-related incidents.

The meeting follows seasonal forecasts issued by meteorological services warning of a significant flood risk in parts of the country.

"It was necessary to bring together all stakeholders involved in disaster risk management to prepare and ensure an effective response to potential flooding," ANPC Director General Lieutenant Colonel Baka Youma said.

Participants presented the preparedness levels of their organizations and discussed coordination mechanisms among the relevant agencies.

The World Bank also presented a rapid financing mechanism designed to support emergency responses in the event of a disaster. The tool, known as the RRO, would enable the swift mobilization of financial resources from existing projects.

The meeting took place as experts warn of a worrying climate outlook. According to projections from the 2026 PRESAGG regional forum, southern Togo could see above-average rainfall between March and May, a period during which coastal and urban areas are particularly vulnerable to flooding.

R.E.D

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.