During its latest Council of Ministers, on January 31, Togo adopted a bill on firearms and ammunition. The new bill aims to update and improve Togo’s firearms and light ammunition regulation. 

In detail, once approved by the parliament, the bill will enable the relevant authorities to better control arms-related activities. The bill specifically provides a framework for the categorization of weapons and their legal acquisition and use. It also aims to curb the proliferation, circulation, and illicit trafficking of firearms, ammunition, and associated equipment.

Through this move, Togo seeks to align with regional and global security standards.

According to the government, "the current legal framework, derived from the law of January 6, 1959, on the weapons regime in Togo and its implementing decree of April 19, 1995, must be revised and updated to meet our country's security needs while complying with the requirements of regional and international standards that impose stricter control on the individual and collective possession of firearms."

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togolese Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah-Dogbé gave an audience to filmmaker Angela Aquereburu on January 30. Aquereburu produces the web series "Ahoé", a local production that quickly gained popularity in Togo. 

Ahoé started broadcasting on YouTube on December 1, 2023. The YouTube channel airing the episodes (46 at present) currently has around 68,000 subscribers. So far, the web series has totaled 3.17 million views, and the pilot has over 500,000 views, a record for a Togolese production.

Season 2: CFA200 million needed

Angela Aquereburu, during her audience with PM Tomegah-Dogbe asked for the government’s support for the project. “Togolese people are very excited about it (ed. Note: the series),” she declared after the meeting.

A few days before, the series’ promoters launched a call for funding on social media. According to the call, they need CFA200 million to produce the next season. 

Angela Aquereburu has been active in the Togolese film industry for over 15 years. Before AHOE she produced ZEM, a series about “Zemidjans” (local taxi-bikes) in Togo, "Hospital IT" about collaboration between traditional and Western medicine broadcast on the TV5 MONDE channel, and more recently, the "Oasis" series, for its part broadcast on Canal+.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo President Faure Gnassingbé received Mali’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, on Tuesday, Jan 30. According to the Togolese Presidency, they reviewed Mali’s current socio-political situation.

The men met two days after Mali announced it was leaving “with immediate effect” the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), together with Niger and Burkina Faso. 

This topic, along with uncertainties-economic, administrative, and political-resulting from Mali’s exit, was likely discussed by Gnassingbe and his visitor. 

Initially, the ECOWAS said it was ready to seek a "negotiated solution" to the exit situation. Lomé may play a major role in the negotiations as in the past. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Lomé was Africa’s 25th most attractive city for expatriates in 2023. The Togolese capital also ranked 5th in West Africa (against 6th in 2020) in Mercer’s Quality of Living City Ranking 2023. 

The ranking is based on 40 criteria grouped into 10 categories. The criteria include the political and social environment, the economic environment, the socio-cultural context, medical and health aspects, education and schools, public services and transport, urban infrastructure and leisure, consumer goods, housing, as well as the general environment of the city.

Lomé came ahead of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), Lagos (Nigeria), Abuja (Nigeria), Nouakchott (Mauritania), Bamako (Mali), Conakry (Guinea), Niamey (Niger) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), as well as metropolises such as Yaoundé, Douala, Dar es Salaam and Luanda.au niveau continental. 

In West Africa, only Dakar (Senegal), Accra (Ghana), Banjul (Gambia), and Cotonou (Benin) did better than the Togolese capital. At the continental level, the top 10 was dominated by Mauritian, Seychelles, South African, and Moroccan cities.

Lomé is also one of the most affordable cities in Africa. According to another assessment by Mercer, it is the second least expensive city in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). It is cheaper than Cotonou, Accra, Abidjan, Dakar, and Lagos, among others. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The World Food Program (WFP) has already raised CFA9 billion out of the CFA10 billion that Togo needs for its 2022-2026 food resilience strategy. This was disclosed last Tuesday by the WFP’s representative, Aboubacar Koisha. Koisha met Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe that day. 

Under its food resilience strategy, Lomé aims to support around 260,000 people facing food insecurity nationwide. 

A year ago, the country launched an emergency food support program in line with the strategy. The program covers the Savanes and Kara regions. 

The WFP and Togo also run, together, the Pro-SADI, a project that improves the country’s food systems to provide smallholder farmers with sustainable access to agricultural input. Another project they carry out is the integrated school feeding project. The latter covers Togo’s public primary schools and leverages local production. 

Both projects are funded by the European Union, the FAO, and the WFP. The three partners backed them with CFA6 billion. 

In the past three years, according to its country representative, the WFP, through various projects, has helped around 600,000 Togolese people in difficult conditions.

Esaïe Edoh

Robert Dussey represented Togo at the Italy-Africa Summit held in Rome on January 28 and 29. The Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs attended the forum alongside several heads of state, government leaders, and senior executives from international institutions. The summit’s goal was to bolster cooperation between Italy and Africa.

During the event, the Italian side presented its strategic vision to improve its relationship with the African continent. The plan is dubbed "Plan Mattei" in homage to the founder of energy giant ENI. It advocates cooperation geared towards the development of natural resources in Africa.

At the recent Summit, Giorgia Meloni, President of the Italian Council, stressed the importance of the Africa-Italy cooperation. According to her, this relationship should be equal and mutual, without any form of paternalism. 

For his part, Robert Dussey lauded the event’s organization and invited Italy to reinforce its cooperation with Togo. He also invited Italian investors to come explore the opportunities Togo offers. “You will be most welcome in Togo, a land of opportunities and success for your business,” he declared.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo plans to spend CFA84 billion on road development projects this year. This is 98% of the forecast budget of the Ministry of Public Works (MTP), i.e. 85 billion FCFA, under the 2024 finance bill.

The country will use part of the money to asphalt 180 km of roads, according to the Ministry of Public Works. Another part will serve to develop and asphalt around 206 km of roads. According to the Ministry, “the projects could begin in 2024 and continue in 2025 and beyond.”

The projects announced align with the government’s ambition to asphalt over 11,700 km of roads nationwide. This ambition aims to fluidify the road traffic and make Togo a logistics hub, a reference business center, and a major corridor to reach neighboring landlocked countries.

Esaïe Edoh

At the launch of the Togo Bar Association, held last week, the Minister of Justice of Togo, Mipamb Nahm-Tchougli, met with the country’s lawyers. The official, on the occasion, urged the lawyers to play their part in attracting investors.

According to Mipamb Nahm-Tchougli, justice is one of the fundamental pillars of a country's economic development. He argues “that an investor or entrepreneur has no safety in an uncertain judicial environment, and if he comes up against a corrupt, biased and ineffective justice.”

The Minister called on Togolese lawyers to help the country become a business hub and growth pole.

“You understand well that it is not a discredited justice system that we need, and lawyers must be the sentinels of a justice system that protects, accompanies prosperity, and guarantees the elementary rights of citizens,” Nahm-Tchougli told the group of 154 lawyers present.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo successfully carried out its first two issues on the regional money market, the WAEMU Securities Stock. The country just launched its third issue with a target of CFA30 billion. The operation closes next Friday, February 2. 

The issue is a dual issue of fungible treasury bills and bonds (BATs and OATs in French). 

The first securities, the BATs have a par value of CFA1 million. They mature over 364 days and have multiple interest rates. The second securities, the OATs, have a par value of CFA10.000, mature over five years, and have an interest rate of 6.4%. 

According to the operation’s tender notice, the Togolese treasury eyes CFA15 billion via the BATs and the same amount via the OATs. 

Togo will pump the proceeds into its 2024 budget, which totals CFA2,179 billion, expenditures and revenues. So far this year, the country has raised CFA52 billion on the regional market.

Esaïe Edoh