Northern African countries will also take part in the next Pan-African Congress. The forum will take place at the end of this year in Lomé. 

In preparation for the conference, the Northern African countries held on April 18 a hybrid ministerial conference. The Togolese and Moroccan Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Robert Dussey and Nasser Bourita, co-chaired the meeting. 

Focused on the theme "Pan-Africanism and Migration," the meeting resulted in the Rabat Declaration, aimed at strengthening the role of Regional Economic Communities in the actions of the African diaspora on the continent.

In practical terms, through the declaration, the North African region calls for "mobilizing migrants and Afro-descendants as part of the renewal of Pan-Africanism around the reform of multilateral institutions and better representation of Africa in global governance."

Through this declaration, North African countries aim to align their national migration management strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

This declaration will be submitted to the 9th Pan-African Congress scheduled in Lomé from October 29th to November 2nd, bringing together Africans from the continent, the diaspora, and Afro-descendants around the theme: "Revitalizing Pan-Africanism and Africa's Role in Multilateral Institutions Reform: Mobilizing Resources and Reinventing Ourselves to Act.”

Esaïe Edoh 

In Togo, the CENI has introduced a toll-free number, 1010, to help voters find their polling stations for the April 29th legislative and regional elections. This move follows the CENI's adjustments to voter registration and polling centers, aiming to reduce congestion at voting sites.

By limiting the number of voters per polling station to 350, the CENI seeks to speed up the voting process and reduce queues. However, this measure has led to the creation of additional polling stations, which may confuse voters.

"The voting takes place in the Voter Registration and Polling Centers (CRVs) used during the electoral registration from April 29, 2023, to June 14, 2023. However, CRVs with insufficient classroom space to accommodate the created PVs must be redirected to nearby CRVs as suggested to the CENI," the CENI states in a note addressed to CELI presidents.

The 1010 hotline addresses these challenges, enabling voters to receive precise information about their CRV and PV by sending their voter ID number via SMS (free of charge) to 1010.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks to ensure the operational continuity of the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) mechanism in Togo. It recently launched a tender to recruit a new national coordinator to steer the project.

The coordinator will work under the direct supervision of the FAO Representative and will be assisted by key actors of the FFF mechanism in Togo. As coordinator, the selected applicant will "facilitate and lead the FFF’s implementation in Togo," in collaboration with the focal point of the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources, the FAO Togo supervisor, and representatives of forest and agricultural producer organizations (OPFAs).

Hosted by the FAO, the FFF aims to strengthen forest and agricultural producer organizations to defend their rights, organize their activities, sustainably manage their forests, and provide social and cultural services to the poor and marginalized.

It is worth noting that Togo was selected to join the project in its second phase. Four other African countries were selected at the same time. In total, nine countries participate in the new phase worldwide. 

In 2023, the program notably selected 17 beneficiary organizations in four regions of the country.

For more information, check the call for proposals here.

Health experts from several African countries have been in Lomé since April 17, 2024, to draw protocols for investigating highly pathogenic influenza outbreaks. Backed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the meeting addresses the increased threats from emerging and re-emerging pathogens, such as avian influenza.

The Lomé gathering, which ends on April 19, focuses on the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks recorded in participating nations. By sharing experiences, experts from these nations evaluate investigation tools and develop joint control strategies that will be submitted to the WHO for funding.

The ongoing meeting is part of the preparation and fight against infections by the avian influenza virus, a viral disease affecting birds with high mortality rates among poultry. However, certain subtypes of avian influenza viruses, like the H5N1 virus, now pose a real threat to humans, causing highly deadly epidemics.

Esaïe Edoh

Lomé-based pan-African airline ASKY has acquired a new Boeing 737 Max 8 to its fleet. The carrier said the acquisition reinforces its commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation. It also aims to make Asky more competitive.

ASKY Unveils New Boeing 737 Max 8, Reinforcing Commitment to Innovation and Environmental Responsibility. Lomé, Togo – April 16, 2024 – ASKY is thrilled to announce the arrival of its newest aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 8, registered ET-BAU, #ASKY #AskyTeam #flywithasky pic.twitter.com/6a4ZLLzIgP

— ASKY (@ASKY_airlines) April 17, 2024

The new aircraft, registered as ET-BAU, boasts cutting-edge aerospace technology, significantly reducing CO2 emissions compared to previous models.

Currently serving over 20 cities in 25 African countries, ASKY received a capital injection of CFA6 billion from the Togolese government last year, representing 600,000 shares. This investment aimed to support the airline and bolster the status of Lomé's Gnassingbé Eyadema International Airport (AIGE) at the sub-regional level.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Faw Trucks, the renowned Chinese commercial vehicle brand, is set to make its debut in the Togolese market. Togo Best Motor Sarl (TBM), the authorized dealer of Faw Jiefang in Togo and Benin, is introducing two new vehicles in this West African nation. 

These vehicles, namely the tractor truck and the dump truck, are available in 6×4 and 8×4 configurations. They are tailored for logistics, general goods transportation, and heavy material hauling like sand and gravel.

Yang Li, the CEO of TBM, highlighted that these vehicles have been meticulously customized to meet the specific requirements of the Togolese market. This customization was the result of a comprehensive study conducted between 2018 and 2019, which included assessments of road infrastructure and local climatic conditions, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.

In Togo, TBM joins other established dealers including Diwa International, Van Vliet Automotive Togo, Sinocar, Japan Motors, Heavymat Togo, and SMT TOGO.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Togo Digital Agency (ATD) hosts the Lomé Fintech Conference 2024 this Friday, April 19th, in Lomé. The event, organized by the Ministry of Digitalization's operational arm, focuses on innovation, sharing, and discovery in the Togolese digital ecosystem at ATD's headquarters.

Key industry players gather to discuss business opportunities within the Togo Digital Strategy 2025. The agenda includes a "crossed talk," panels, workshops, and a networking session for exchanges and synergies. Deloitte and GIZ are among the expected participants.

On the same date, awards will be given to winners of the 228 Code Challenge, a coding competition by ATD. Register for the Lomé Fintech Conference here.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo is actively seeking to raise CFA30 billion on the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) public securities market through a simultaneous issuance of fungible treasury bonds (OATs) and fungible treasury bills (BATs), which will close on April 26th.

As detailed in the tender document reviewed by Togo First, Lomé plans to secure CFA15 billion through BATs with a nominal value of CFA1 million, multiple interest rates, and a maturity of 364 days. The remaining CFA15 billion will be raised through OATs, featuring a nominal value of CFA10,000, an annual interest rate of 6.15%, and a maturity of three years.

The coastal nation aims to utilize these funds to finance its 2024 budget, which is balanced at CFA2,179 billion.

Esaïe Edoh