The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) supports 1,000 smallholder farmers in Togo’s Kara region. Last week, the United Nations agency, with partners including the European Union, distributed agricultural inputs under the Pro-SADI project.

Farmers in each prefecture received 10 kg of maize seeds or 20 kg of rice, 100 kg of NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer, and 50 kg of urea with 46% nitrogen. The inputs aim to jumpstart farming activities for vulnerable producers.

This aid strengthens maize and rice production, especially in the Planned Agricultural Development Zones (ZAAP), which serve as cornerstones of Togo’s national agricultural policy.

This effort follows a 2024 phase that supported over 7,000 small producers in Kara and Savanes. It also complements the World Food Programme’s school feeding program, now active in 50 schools across the two regions.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïé Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo started a four-day intensive training on green bonds in Lomé on June 10. The government runs the program with help from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The training teaches officials how to design sustainable financial tools that fit Togo’s ESG standards.

Togo plans to shift to a low-carbon economy. It wants to raise long-term funds to back climate resilience projects. Green bonds will help by raising money solely for eco-friendly projects. These bonds give Togo a strong, competitive edge in global markets.

For UNDP’s Binta Sanneh, this tool boosts Togo’s appeal and strengthens its environmental reputation.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The West African Development Bank (BOAD) launched the first "BOAD Development Days" in Lomé on June 12, 2025. Experts, policymakers, and private sector leaders gathered for two days to tackle climate change, agriculture, and energy challenges in the WAEMU region.

The event focused on "Financing the Energy Transition and Sustainable Agriculture: Challenges, Opportunities, and Solutions." Organizers want real ideas and practical solutions for these critical sectors.

BOAD President Serge Ekue said, "For several years now, climate change is no longer an abstraction. It is no longer just an idea. It is real." He warned that farmers face growing pressure and more frequent climate shocks.

Ekue explained that agriculture and energy need massive investment, but many businesses still struggle to get funding. He urged leaders to use green finance, climate funding, and tech innovation through public-private partnerships.

BOAD continues to back member states with its "Djoliba" strategic plan for 2021-2025. The bank has invested CFA3,310 billion in the region’s economies since then. By June 30, 2024, BOAD had committed CFA1,977.9 billion to energy and natural resources projects.

Togo’s Economy and Finance Minister, Georges Barcola, called the event "a crossroads of ideas, a forum for exchanges, and a catalyst for concrete actions for the sub-region’s future." He said these days show states want to solve development issues, drive economic growth, and improve living conditions.

Organizers expect these annual meetings to reshape how West Africa funds its development.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

The World Bank has approved a $300 million boost for Togo’s agriculture sector. The package, announced June 11, 2025, will fuel the country’s decade-long modernization plan, ProMAT.

ProMAT aims to drive productivity, expand irrigation across 7,200 hectares, promote sustainable land use across 50,000 hectares, and push farmers to adopt climate-smart technology. The program takes a results-first approach and splits funding into two main phases.

“At the Togo Agricultural Producers Forum, farmers made it clear they want the World Bank to back the sector’s transformation,” declared World Bank representative Fily Sissoko. 

The plan targets over 340,000 farmers—including 114,000 women and 102,000 young people—and aims to create 72,500 jobs. It will help small farmers join bigger value chains and strengthen institutions like the Agricultural Transformation Agency.

In detail, the World Bank Group brings an integrated strategy, shaping public policy. The other partners, the IFC and MIGA, bring in private investors and guarantee agricultural inputs, respectively.

Lomé expects the new push will help turn agriculture into a powerhouse for resilience, job creation, and regional competitiveness.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togo invested CFA213 billion in 2024 to implement key projects under its Education Sector Plan (PSE), according to the Ministry of National Education. The update came during a recent progress review session for the national roadmap to transform education by 2030.

Out of a CFA239 billion allocation for the year—defined in the Finance Law—Togo achieved an execution rate of 89.29%. This marks a 2.7% increase from the CFA207 billion disbursed in 2023, underscoring the government’s growing commitment to education.

The bulk of funding came from international development partners, including the Islamic Development Bank, the World Bank, and the French Development Agency. These institutions supported flagship programs such as the PAAQET (Project to Improve Access, Equity, and Quality of Education), PAQEEB (Project to Improve Basic Education Quality and Equity), PAREC II (College Reform Support Project), and initiatives promoting inclusive education in the Mô and Bassar prefectures.

Between 2023 and 2024, the government built 1,098 new classrooms and rehabilitated 690 more across preschool, primary, and secondary schools. In technical and vocational education, 107 classrooms, 49 workshops, 16 storage buildings, 3 computer labs, and 60 dormitories were either constructed or renovated.

The Industrial Trades Training Center (CFMI) received funding to expand its facilities and curriculum. In the university sector, the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) opened a new teaching block, while two new research centers were launched.

Minister of Education Dodzi Kokoroko described the PSE as “more than a plan,” calling it a “collective commitment to make education a pillar of our development.” He added that the review session serves to align strategies and adjust priorities where needed.

Launched with support from technical and financial partners, the Education Sector Plan remains central to Togo’s ambition to create a more inclusive, equitable, and resilient education system by the end of the decade.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Lomé is hosting the 2nd National Congress of the Togolese Cardiology Society (SOCART) on June 12 and 13, 2025. Nearly 150 experts are attending the event to tackle two deadly conditions: hypertension and venous thromboembolic disease.

These diseases rank among the deadliest in Togo. The congress aims to sharpen doctors’ skills and update treatment methods.

The event will feature roundtables, hands-on sessions, and pharmaceutical symposiums. Experts will focus on ways to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Key topics will include emergency ECG interpretation, defibrillator use, and the latest European guidelines on hypertension. The congress will spotlight vulnerable groups like pregnant women, seniors, HIV patients, and those with kidney problems.

This article was initially published in French by Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho

Togo now issues digital passes for foreign-registered vehicles. The Togolese 

Revenue Office (OTR) launched an online platform on June 11, 2025, to handle these requests remotely.

The Directorate of Intelligence and Fraud Control drives this project. It falls under the country’s tax administration push to digitize services. The goal is to simplify border procedures and speed up vehicle tracking across neighboring countries.

“The electronic pass meets real needs: it lets users submit requests online, ensures traceability, and speeds up processing,” declared Lieutenant-Colonel Donko Bileyô, Director of Intelligence and Fraud Control at the OTR.

Foreign users can access the platform at www.otr.tg. The tool enables them to complete their paperwork online before reaching border posts.

Transport and trade professionals from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—members of the Sahel States Alliance—welcome the reform, as Lomé’s port is their main sea gateway.

Commenting on the new system, Zakari Hamani, president of the Group of Importers, Drivers, and Vehicle Buyers from Sahelian countries, said: “This new system is very welcome. The OTR has always listened to us, and this progress confirms Lomé as the port of the Sahel.”

The OTR clarified that the digital pass only applies to foreign-registered vehicles. It lasts 30 days and can be renewed twice, for a maximum of 90 days.

This article was initially published in French by Esaie Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

Togo and three other West African countries could gain stronger irrigation support under the new phase of the Projet d'Appui Régional à l'Initiative pour l'Irrigation au Sahel (PARIIS). Officials announced this on June 10, 2025, at a two-day sub-regional meeting in Lomé.

The meeting gathered current beneficiary countries to review six years of PARIIS-SIIP implementation, which ends on June 30. It also allowed exchanges with other member states of the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), including Benin, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea.

PARIIS-SIIP operates in six Sahelian countries—Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal—with funding of $170 million (about CFA97 billion) from the International Development Association (IDA). The project has built a foundation for sustainable irrigated agriculture, addressing various water management methods.

CILSS deemed the results conclusive. The project reached 185,867 direct beneficiaries, 35% of whom are women. It developed or rehabilitated 19,411 hectares, documented 15 irrigation solutions, and trained 73,600 people on irrigation.

“These results pave the way for the second phase of the project, now integrated into the ‘Development, Resilience and Water Valorization in West Africa (DREVE)’ program,” said Frédéric Dabiré, PARIIS regional coordinator. Hubert Ndjafa, representing CILSS’s Executive Secretary, praised the achievements, highlighting “renewed knowledge that will continue to improve agricultural practices.”

Togo is among the countries invited to join the new DREVE phase. “Discussions are underway with the Togolese authorities and financial partners,” Dabiré said.

The program’s rollout in Togo should align with the government’s food security goals amid climate change challenges. With much of its population relying on agriculture, Togo views irrigation as a key tool to boost crop yields.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

West African nations started a six-day workshop on June 9, 2025, in Lomé,  to evaluate and harmonize the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) curricula across the region. The West African Health Organization (WAHO) organized the session, which gathers health ministry officials, medical professors, and ECOWAS experts.

The workshop reviews training content at basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. It aims to finalize a unified curriculum that guarantees skills transferable throughout West Africa.

After nearly 20 years of FETP implementation, disparities in course content, skill levels, and qualification recognition still exist. These gaps limit health workers’ mobility and weaken the region’s ability to respond to epidemics effectively.

Deans of medical schools from ECOWAS countries say standardized training will enhance epidemic response and boost professional recognition for field epidemiologists.

Melchior Athanase Joël, WAHO’s Director General, said, “These professionals must work directly with communities. They need to identify, report, and coordinate responses even before official declarations.”

Field epidemiology investigates sudden health problems. It involves outbreak investigations, data collection, and risk analysis during unexpected public health events.

Togo will join the world at the Belgrade 2027 International Expo, set for May 15 to August 15, 2027, in Serbia.

Alexandre de Souza, Togo’s General Commissioner, is in Belgrade this week. He sits at the table with over 120 foreign delegations for the first major planning meeting.

The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) leads this gathering. Organizers want to determine logistics and technical details for an event that will foster sports, culture, and innovation. The theme is: “Let’s Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All.”

Togo sees Expo Belgrade 2027 as a chance to grab the spotlight. The West African country will showcase its unique heritage, from Evala wrestling to local rhythms. Togo also wants to highlight its progress in sustainable development, social peace, and national unity.

Organizers expect more than 4 million visitors. Togo’s artists, creators, and entrepreneurs will seize the moment to promote their work. The Expo gives Togo a stage to boost its economic profile and flex its soft power in a competitive world1.