The US will support several rural organizations in Togo, via its Self-Help program and Resilience Fund. The support, totaling CFA100 million, was recently revealed by the US Embassy in Lomé.

According to the embassy, under the Self-Help program, 19 organizations will receive CFA43.4 million (or $70,000). The program aims to improve the living standards of rural people across the country, supporting various projects in sectors like agriculture, health, and education.

The Resilience Fund, for its part, will provide six rural organizations with CFA62 million (or $100,000), to help them better prevent and fight youth recruitment by terrorist groups, in the Savanes region. The initiative, the embassy noted, aims to foster stability and sustainable development in the region, while building the capacities of local communities. 

Launched in 1964, the Self-Help program grants a maximum of $5,000 to supported organizations, enabling them to back development projects in given communities.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Togolese Ministry of Housing and Urbanism wants to set up a land brigade to fight double land sales,  which is the illegal practice of re-selling land that has already been acquired. The project was disclosed last week during a meeting between some of the sector’s actors and the board of the Togolese Surveyors’ Order (OGT).

"Together with the other departments, we want to help resolve the conflicts our people often face, especially when buying land they can't even occupy,” said Koffitsè Besseh, Director General of Geographic Information and Cartography at the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing and Land Reform. "The Minister is currently discussing with his entire department to set up this land brigade and take concrete measures." 

The Surveyors’ Order said it would help the government in the process. "We want to collaborate with all the ministerial departments that use the land, as the issue of double sales, or even triple sales, affects communities," declared Nikada Atcholadi, chairman of the OGT board. In this regard, he mentioned the strengthening of public-private partnerships.

Togo has made significant progress in implementing its cooperation program with the European Union for the period 2021-2023. This was one of the conclusions of the recent review of the EU's portfolio in Togo. Chaired by Sandra Ablamba Johnson, Minister, and Secretary General of Togo’s Presidency, the meeting took place on September 26th.

The review, according to the Togolese Presidency, highlighted successes in three key areas: human development and socio-economic inclusion, sustainable agro-industries, natural resource management, and the consolidation of a peaceful and resilient Togolese society.

"The rate of absorption of financial commitments by Togo is remarkable. This paves the way for a new allocation for the next period. Both sides are satisfied. This is the fruit of the very close cooperation between Togo and the European Union,” said Joaquin Tasso Vilallonga, European Union Ambassador to Togo.

Commenting on the matter, Sandra Ablamba Johnson underscored the contribution of the review to the effective implementation of EU-financed projects and said there would be a mid-year review next year. 

"For effective implementation, a monitoring system has been set up for the various projects. This is the purpose of the present meeting, which aims to define the various constraints and reflect on approaches to pragmatic solutions. This review is therefore timely in that, for the first phase of the 2021-2024 multi-year program, a mid-term evaluation is scheduled for next year, and its results will determine how much will be needed for the second phase in 2025-2027,” Johnson said.

For the past few years, the partnership between Togo and the EU has been based on the major programs of the government's roadmap (Togo 2025). In this framework, several financing agreements were signed to support these programs, notably programs to fight climate change, grow agro-industries, and boost State resilience.

Two agreements were signed in October 2022. Under the first deal, the EU backed an anti-climate change program with €30 million. Under the second, Togo received €25 million to bolster its public services. The latter financing breaks down into €10 million from the EU and €15 million from France. 

Similarly, two financing agreements were signed last April for the 2022 action plan. The first covers a program to support the development of agro-industries (totaling €82 million, including €30 million provided by the EU, and the remaining €82 million by France and Germany). The second agreement will help the State build resilience, through a €45 million financing.

Ayi Renaud Dossav

Togo is a must-see destination for tourists, according to Kossi Gbégnon Lamadokou,  the country’s Minister of Culture and Tourism. The official made the statement last Wednesday, September 27, 2023, on International Tourism Day.

"We can proudly claim that Togo is becoming a must-see destination at the sub-regional level," said Lamadokou. He backed his claim with the number of tourists that Togo receives yearly.

In 2022, one million tourists visited the country. This is the same as in 2021 when 983,969 visitors came, generating CFA25 billion in revenues for Togo.

In 2020, just over 480,000 tourists visited, generating about CFA19 billion.

Minister Lamadokou attributes the improvements to various steps taken by the government to bolster the sector and make it more attractive.

"Making tourism a priority sector in its five-year roadmap is not a decision that the government took randomly, and looking at the current results it was a judicious decision,” said the official.

Since 2020, many steps have been taken to boost tourism in Togo. These include enhancing the Koutammakou cultural heritage site and updating the country’s cultural policy.

Esaïe Edoh

During its last Council of Ministers held on September 27, the Togolese government examined and adopted a decree to build a university in Datcha, Plateaux region (120km from Lomé). This is part of a bigger project to provide each of the five regions of the country with a public university. 

The project aims to “improve the quality of higher education and provide training pathways with a vocational, technological, and scientific focus".

Why Datcha? 

Datcha was picked for two key reasons, according to Christian Trimua, Minister, Secretary General. The first reason is that people living far from Lomé will no longer need to move to the capital, which means less costs for parents.

Trimua took the example of the University of Kara.  "The University of Kara has shown its attractiveness also for those from Lomé who go to Kara regularly and enable a cultural exchange with other fellow citizens."

The second reason is that “its Geographic location strategically reduces costs and allows a teacher who has a weekday class in Lomé to travel to Datcha afterward and extend to Kara without having to make major detours.” 

Once completed, the University of Datcha should be Togo’s third public university, after the University of Lomé, created in 1970, and the University of Kara, created in 2003.

Esaïe Edoh

A total of CFA13.3 billion has been spent in northern Togo since June 2022, as part of the COSO social cohesion project. Backed by the World Bank, this project covers all northern regions of the Gulf of Guinea, with the goal of fighting poverty appropriately. 

According to the National Agency for Grassroots Development (ANADEB), which steers the project in Togo, it has helped build 50 community facilities, including 43 PV-powered wells, five school buildings, and two community centers. 

The agency revealed that more sub-projects were recently validated, including some in the Tone 3 municipal located in the Savanes region. On September 19, the Lotogou Cantonal Development Committee (CCD) held a meeting to decide on the priority infrastructure sub-projects to be carried out in Lotogou district. The whole district, which comprises 18 villages, will get CFA357 million to develop energy, education, agriculture, and social projects.

Meanwhile, CFA33 billion should go to 41 border districts–37 in the Savanes region, two in the Kara region, and two in the Central region. 

Besides Togo, the COSO covers the northern part of Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Ghana. The project spans five years.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo should soon adopt an administrative procedure code. The project made headway at the last Council of Ministers meeting chaired by the Head of State, Faure Gnassingbé, on September 27, 2023.

The Council, last Wednesday, examined and adopted a draft bill on the administrative procedure code.

"Adopting this text is part of the dynamics of the justice modernization program initiated by the Head of State and contributes to the celerity and efficiency of the judicial system in accordance with the objectives of axis 1 and axis 3 of the government roadmap 2020- 2025", the government said.

The code aims to provide a framework and reinforce respect for citizens' rights in their interactions with the administration. It will provide a legal framework for controlling the legality of the acts of national administrations and local authorities. The document will be later submitted to deputies for consideration.

In 2019, Togo proceeded to judicial reorganization, which introduced administrative chambers within courts at all levels. The goal was to let the people have easier access to administrative justice.

Trade between Togo and China stood at $2.3 billion from January to July 2023, up by 14% compared to the same period in 2022. This was revealed last Tuesday, September 26, by China’s Ambassador to Togo, Chao Weidong. 

The Asian diplomat spoke during a reception in Lomé to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The ceremony was attended by several Togolese officials, including Health Minister Moustafa Mijiyawa, Communication and Media Minister Yawa Kouigan, and former Prime Minister Komi Selom Klassou.

Ambassador Weidong attributed the trade rebound to “more and more Chinese entrepreneurs coming to Togo seeking business opportunities”. Stressing that it was a two-way dynamic, he added that many Togolese entrepreneurs also “went to China to improve cooperation and promote commerce.”

In 2020, when the Covid pandemic broke out, trade between Togo and China dwindled significantly, slightly exceeding CFA2 billion. Since the global economy started recovering, however, the situation has been improving.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

Togo has revised its growth forecast for 2023 to 6.4%, compared with the 6.6% initially anticipated. Sani Yaya, Minister of Economy and Finance, disclosed the new prospect on September 27th.

In contrast with the downscaled growth, the government expects an improvement in its budget deficit, from 8.3% in 2022 to 6.6% this year. “But achieving these results requires overcoming some challenges linked to tighter financing conditions,” emphasized Minister Yaya.

Port and airport activities on the rise

During Q1 2023, activities at the port and airport of Togo improved, driving up trade flows and consolidating receivables from the economy.

Regarding trade, exports rose by CFA52.3 billion year-on-year compared with the first quarter of 2022, while imports shot up by CFA84.9 billion. This did not help the country's trade balance, still in deficit vis-à-vis the rest of the world.

Falling inflation

The inflation rate in Togo slumped from 7.8% at the end of June 2022 to 6.3% at the end of June 2023, a situation attributable to "measures taken by the government to combat high living costs."

There are plans to revise the state budget for this year, with a rectifying finance bill, to respond to state pressures and priorities. For now, Lomé said it wants to "bolster means to fight terrorism" and "keep implementing development policies in line with the priorities of the government's 2020-2025 roadmap."

It is worth noting that Togo had initially adopted a budget of CFA1,950 billion for 2023. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi