Togo: World Bank Commits $100M to ASTRE Social Program

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Monday, 24 July 2023 03:19

Togo: World Bank Commits $100M to ASTRE Social Program

(Togo First) - Togo and the World Bank inked, on July 20, a $100 million deal to support the Novissi Social Support Program in the West African country. The agreement, which was announced a few weeks ago, was signed in Lomé.

Related documents were effectively signed by Togo’s minister of finance, Sani Yaya, and the World Bank’s new chief of operations in Togo, Marie-Chantal Uwanyiligira.

The funds are a loan from the International Development Association (IDA). They will support the social support program, which the Togolese government adopted in June 2023. The program, according to Sani Yaya, "places the fight against extreme poverty and extreme vulnerability at the heart of national concerns."

Two million Togolese impacted by 2029

Under the project, a unique, strong, and reliable identification system and a social register of individuals and households will be set up to facilitate targeted cash transfers. In total, some 440,000 vulnerable households, or just over 2 million Togolese, will be impacted by 2029.

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"Support measures will also be implemented to promote financial and social inclusion, as well as access to basic social services," added Myriam Dossou-d’Almeida, the Minister of Grassroots Development, who was also present at the signing ceremony.

Togo has taken several steps, in recent years, to foster non-contributory social protection, notably with the Basic Social Safety Nets (FSB) project. The "Novissi" program deployed during the coronavirus pandemic had already allowed nearly 15 billion FCFA to be allocated to more than 800,000 beneficiaries throughout the country.

Octave A. Bruce

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.