Togo's Quinzaine de l'environnement et du développement durable (QEDD) is back for its third edition. The event was launched on June 10 by Minister of the Environment and Forest Resources Foli Bazi Katari. It aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and educate the public.

The event, which runs until June 24, will feature debates, competitions, and training sessions on climate change. The goal is to draw attention to the major environmental challenges facing the country, including climate change, biodiversity preservation, and pollution.

"The QEDD is a strategic initiative to raise awareness about the scale of today's environmental challenges," said Adadji Koffi, Managing Director of National Agency for Environmental Management. "Through civic and political actions, we aim to trigger genuine awareness and increased commitment to environmental protection," he added.

The QEDD was first organized in 2016 and has since become a key platform for environmental awareness and mobilization in Togo.

Esaïe Edoh

Shelter Afrique is holding its 43rd Annual General Meeting (AGM), in Kigali, Rwanda. Togo takes part in the meeting which ends on June 13. The Togolese delegation is led by Kodjo Adedze, Minister of Urban Planning and Housing.

This year, the meeting’s theme is "Sustainable Partnerships in the Affordable Housing Finance Value Chain". Participants include representatives of Shelter Afrique’s member States, financial institutions, and development partners. The meeting’s driving goal is to turn Shelter Afrique into a dynamic development bank that meets international standards.

"This AGM marks a decisive turning point to affirm our journey of transformation," said Thierno Habib Hann, Managing Director of Shelter Afrique.

In Togo, Shelter Afrique supports the government’s program to build 20,000 social housing units. It financed the construction of 3,000 units out of the 20,000.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Danish fundraising organization, Danmarks Indsamlingen, will support vulnerable populations in the prefectures of Tône and Kpendjal in Togo with CFA220 million. The funds will be provided through the Emergency Assistance to Vulnerable Families project, which Plan International Togo (PIT) will implement over 12 months.

The Emergency project, known as "Nataan Man" was launched last week in Dapaong. It covers children aged 0-17 and women, ensuring their social and emotional well-being.

Ça y est!Le projet d’assistance d’urgence aux familles vulnérables des préfectures de Tône et Kpendjal, en moba ‘Nataan Man’ est lancé ce 6 Juin 2024 à Dapaong! Financé à 335 660,6€ par Danmarks Indsamlingen (DI) via @PlanBornefonden en faveur des enfants de 0 à 17ans#TgTwittos https://t.co/oovJASO5n8 pic.twitter.com/GLjkQCkqGC

— Plan International Togo (@PlanIntTogo) June 6, 2024

In line with this ambition, Plan International Togo has planned various activities aimed at creating an environment conducive to children's development. These include setting up "children's friends" spaces and developing the skills-through-play approach, according to Awa Faly Ba, Plan International's resident representative.

The project responds to the needs of populations regularly confronted with terrorist attacks.

 Esaïe Edoh

US Ambassador to Togo Elizabeth Fitzsimmons announced her departure in a video posted on social media. Under her leadership, several initiatives were launched or renewed, including the Ambassador's Resilience Fund, which allocated $100,000 annually to address the root causes of violent extremism, and the Ambassador's Self-Help Fund, which disbursed $75,000 annually to 20 organizations in the five regions.

Other notable initiatives included the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which facilitates economic exchanges between the US and sub-Saharan Africa, Togo's eligibility for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact program, and the continuation of the Threshold program, which aimed to improve access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services and formalize land rights in Togo.

Elizabeth Fitzsimmons will be replaced by Mary E. Daschbach, currently deputy chief of mission in the Republic of Cameroon. Daschbach has a strong background in diplomacy, having served as Senior Political Advisor in the Strategy, Engagement and Programs Directorate at U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, and as Deputy Chief of Mission in the Republic of Congo.

Daschbach has also worked in various capacities, including as Information Officer in Ghana, Consular Officer in the UK, Public Affairs Officer in Togo and Costa Rica, and bureau chief for Paraguay and Uruguay in Washington. Before joining the Foreign Service, she was Associate Director of the Peace Corps in the Republic of Benin.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo’s latest operation on the West African Monetary Union (UMOA) public securities market was successful. On June 7, 2024, the country raised CFA36.9 billion while seeking CFA35 billion.

In detail, Lomé secured CFA32.3 billion through fungible treasury bills (BATs or Bons Assimilables du Trésor) and the remaining CFA4.6 billion through fungible treasury bonds (OATs or Obligations Assimilables du Trésor). The former mature over 182 days and the latter over 3 and 5 years. The respective interest rates for the OATs are 6.15% and 6.40%.

A total of 28 investors participated in the offer, proposing a total amount of FCFA 45.7 billion, representing a coverage rate of 130.62%.

The recent operation including, Lomé secured CFA430 billion so far this year on the WAEMU market. Togo aims to raise CFA607 billion on the WAEMU market in 2024. 

The funds will help finance Togo’s 2024 budget, which stands at CFA2,179 billion–revenues and expenses.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo has achieved a 76% implementation rate of WAEMU’s 131 political, social, and financial reforms. The assessment was made at the 9th Annual Review of the Reforms, ongoing in Lomé.

"Based on our evaluation grid within the WAEMU Commission, we deem (ed. Note: the performance) satisfactory," said Abdoulaye Diop, president of the WAEMU commission. "Major reforms were launched regarding economic governance,  and convergence, which is an essential component in the progress of our Union,” he added before concluding: “We have an overall implementation rate of over 90%"

Commenting on Lomé’s performance, Rose Mivedor, Togo’s Minister of Trade said: "These results reflect the government's firm commitment to the implementation and transposition of the various acts and directives”. Mivedor represents the Minister of Economy at the meeting. "We know that with the support of bodies such as the UEMOA commission, we will be able to achieve this goal," she added.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Last week, Togo launched a Turkey-backed project to boost its tourism industry. It was launched by the Minister of Tourism, Kossi Lamadokou, in the presence of Turkey's Ambassador to Togo.  

The project is funded by the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It aims to boost the entrepreneurial and managerial capacities of local tourism players.

J'ai été très heureux d'avoir procédé ce vendredi 07 juin 2024 au lancement officiel du projet "Amélioration des capacités entrepreneuriales des acteurs du tourisme pour la compétitivité du tourisme togolais" en présence de Madame Muteber Kılıç, ⤵️#TourismeTogo #CultureTogo pic.twitter.com/tadYJfFkWf

— Kossi Gbényo Lamadokou (@GbenyoLamadokou) June 9, 2024

Under the initiative, tourism professionals will receive various training courses and even have the opportunity to travel to Turkey to learn from best practices, over four years.

This initiative supports Togo's ambition to make tourism a pillar of cooperation with other nations. "Besides the efforts made internally, Togolese tourism is at the heart of the country's international cooperative relations. Togo has thus joined several international organizations that promote tourism," said Minister Lamadokou.

The country has indeed taken several steps in recent years to revitalize tourism after it was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Esaïe Edoh

Last week, the Centre des Maladies Infectieuses (CMI) of Kara, Togo, received €400,000 worth of medical equipment from Germany. The equipment includes resuscitation, sterilization, body conservation equipment, IT and office equipment, medical furniture, and small items of equipment and instrumentation.

Germany shipped the equipment to Togo as part of a program to strengthen the African nation’s health system, especially relative to reproductive health and sexual rights. The program is implemented by GIZ-Togo.

The Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Prof. Moustafa Mijiyawa, presided over the reception ceremony, held at the Institut National de l'Hygiène (INH) in Kara, in the presence of diplomatic personalities.

The Agence Togolaise de Presse (ATOP) reported that the equipment will support prevention efforts through vaccination and the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. The head of the ambassadorial delegation, Dr. Claudius Fischbach from Germany, stressed the importance of health as a pillar of sustainable development.

Fischbach reiterated Europe's commitment to supporting Togo in its immediate response and long-term strengthening of the health system, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Togo has nine other CMIs, serving as rapid care centers for epidemic diseases and standard centers in normal times.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Second Edition of the Blitta International Tradefair (FIB) will take place from August 10 to 24. Aimed at promoting local products, boosting trade, and bolstering regional cooperation, the fair is organized by the Afrik-Contact Company. 

The event was launched at a press conference on June 8, 2024, at Blitta-gare. Several administrative authorities, politicians, traditionalists, and economic operators attended the launching ceremony.

This year's theme is "Valuing local products to promote local consumption". As usual, the event encourages innovation and creativity.

The fair will host exhibitions of agricultural products, business forums, fairs facilitating access to financial and non-financial services, and presentations of finished products based on local resources.

There will also be cultural activities such as concerts, culinary art competitions, and folk dances.

This year, organizers hope to attract between 60,000 and 70,000 visitors. Last year, 52 exhibitors from all regions of Togo, as well as from Ghana, Benin, and Nigeria, participated in the fair.