The University of Lomé hosts the second edition of Innovation Crunch Time, an event fostering technological innovation. The meeting is organized by Ecole Polytechnique de Lomé (EPL), in partnership with the University of Technology of Belfort Montbéliard.

Innovation Crunch Time bridges the gap between businesses and the EPL, enabling students to tackle real-world problems. This year, Innovation Crunch Time has gathered 122 students to address 17 challenges presented by local companies.

Professor Joseph Tsigbe, Director of Cooperation, lauded the initiative, underscoring its impact on upskilling tomorrow's engineers. "By expressing needs or proposing topics that require our students to use their minds to innovate, companies, local authorities, or partner associations contribute to the training of tomorrow's engineers," he said.

Meanwhile, EPL Director Professor Kondo Hloindo Adjallah urged students to showcase their creativity and technical skills. Crunch Time encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, immersing students in the professional world, and strengthening the partnership between the university and companies to meet job market demands. The event concludes on Friday, April 26, 2024.

The first edition of Crunch Time for technological innovation took place in March 2023, in collaboration with UTBM.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The ExpandPF project, backed by the Togolese Association for Family Welfare (ATBEF) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), has initiated an assessment of healthcare facilities in the Kloto, Haho, and Est-Mono districts of Togo. The project's goal is to support these facilities in reproductive health better.

A data collection mission recently took place from April 15th to 19th, visiting 40 intervention sites to evaluate service providers' capacities and the quality of long-term family planning services. Officially launched on March 26, 2024, by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, the initiative “mainly aims to identify the genuine needs of healthcare facilities”.

“ExpandPF employs a social and behavioral change approach to bring family planning services closer to marginalized communities. Strategies include community-based distribution and contraception for adolescents and youth.”

The data collected will form the foundation of a comprehensive assessment report, complete with a targeted improvement plan.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with $49.5 million, the ExpandPF project aims to strengthen the quality of family planning and reproductive health services in Togo. Led by ATBEF for five years (2023-2028), this initiative is part of a broader regional vision.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo's Blitta Savings and Credit Cooperative (COOPEC-Blitta) has announced a balanced balance sheet for the 2023 fiscal year, totaling CFA1.329 billion, with a net surplus of 17.5 million, as reported by the Togolese Press Agency (ATOP). This represents a 12% increase in the total balance sheet, rising from 1.18 billion FCFA in 2022, and a 26% surge in financial surplus, up from 13.8 million FCFA in 2022.

The cooperative's top management assessed the balance sheet as "satisfactory" for the 2023 fiscal year. COOPEC-Blitta boasts 21,517 members and a deposit balance of 1.2 billion FCFA, having processed 1,637 credit applications amounting to 1.2 billion FCFA.

To further enhance its services, COOPEC-Blitta plans to improve the efficiency of the credit granting process and introduce digital services such as mobile banking for 24/7 accessibility. Labante Yao, the chairman of the board of directors, emphasized the importance of adhering to capitalization standards and encouraged borrowers in arrears to regularize their repayments.

COOPEC-Blitta is part of the FUCEC-TOGO network, a key player in microfinance in Togo, comprising a federation of cooperative savings and credit unions.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Togo National Social Security Fund (CNSS) announces a life check operation starting from May 2nd to June 30th, 2024. 

This online operation will collect biometric data of beneficiaries living in Togo and abroad through the Biosecu app on the CNSS electronic portal or via a dedicated link. 

It covers all pensioners and annuitants regularly paid until the end of April 2024, ensuring pension and annuity payments for the second half of 2024.

The CNSS aims to ensure effective management of social benefits while complying with security and transparency standards. Ingrid Awade, the institution's Director-General, emphasizes that benefits for those who do not undergo this operation will be suspended from July 2024, in line with the social security code.

"To participate, beneficiaries need a valid ID, an operational phone number, and the receipt from their last life check."

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé recently attended a high-level meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, focusing on combating terrorism across Africa. The gathering, themed "Strengthening Cooperation and Regional Institutions to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism in Africa," convened African leaders to discuss the issues posed by terrorism and explore innovative strategies to fight it.

During the talks, President Gnassingbé emphasized the critical need for international funding to support counterterrorism efforts and underscored the importance of bolstering military collaboration among nations facing unique security situations. "Terrorism poses a fundamental threat to our states," he remarked. "Therefore, defeating terrorism remains our paramount objective. Achieving this goal in our sub-region hinges on robust interstate cooperation and the ability to effectively navigate multifaceted threats and asymmetric conflicts."

Gnassingbé also called for enhanced coordination among defense and security forces, urging regional leaders to consider instituting reforms and establishing a "new military cooperation organization." Such an initiative, he explained, would play a pivotal role in combating terrorism while taking into account broader global dynamics. "Through a reimagined organizational framework," he noted, "we can effectively address the scourge of terrorism while acknowledging the broader international context."

In Togo, the fight against terrorism extends beyond military responses, encompassing social and civic initiatives targeting vulnerable communities. Notable efforts include the Emergency Program for the Savanes Region (PURS), spearheaded by the President, and the Social Cohesion Project for the Northern Regions of the Gulf of Guinea (COSO), supported by the World Bank. These programs aim to address security threats while promoting social cohesion and resilience among affected populations.

The Togolese branch of the ECOWAS Committee for the Management of Health Program Funds officially launched operations on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024. The inaugural meeting, held in Lome, outlined its mission and plans for the year.

This committee, mirrored across other ECOWAS member states, is primarily tasked with guiding, coordinating, and aiding in achieving the goals of projects and programs aimed at enhancing Togolese health indicators. Its actions are designed to reduce the risk of failure in projects undertaken by the West African Health Organization (WAHO) through monitoring, among other measures. The committee aims to boost the visibility of WAHO’s initiatives in Togo.

Committee President Baros Bacar Banjai highlighted the new inclusive policy, which involves targeted individuals in each ECOWAS member state. “This ensures monitoring in the execution of activities/projects and mandates the proper functioning of structures benefiting from grants, with the hope of good performance,” Banjai said. This approach is expected to not only enhance the funding of priority and urgent health programs but also bolster transparency in action execution.

WAHO, the ECOWAS entity dedicated to health issues, was established in 1987. Its main mission is to deliver the highest quality of healthcare to the sub-region’s populations by harmonizing member states’ policies, pooling resources, and fostering cooperation among member and non-member countries to collaboratively address the health problems of the sub-region.

Esaïe Edoh

The Constitutional Court of Togo welcomed two new members, Payadowa Boukpessi and Kwame Meyisso, on Saturday, April 20. They were sworn in during a ceremony attended by President Faure Gnassingbé.

"You will be joining the distinguished members of the Constitutional Court at a crucial time in our nation's life, where our country is making major choices that are decisive for the future of democracy and the rule of law", Gnassingbé told the new members at the swearing-in ceremony.

Payadowa Boukpessi, a former Minister of Territorial Administration, and Kwame Meyisso, the former President of the ECOWAS Court of Auditors, are among nine members of the Constitutional Court. 

According to Article 100 of the Togolese Constitution, the Court consists of nine members with good reputations, appointed for a non-renewable six-year term. The Court has the power to resolve disputes related to presidential, legislative, and senatorial elections, as well as referendums, ensuring the Constitution's provisions are upheld.

Esaïe Edoh

After a second reading, the Togolese Assembly approved a new Constitution on April 19, 2024. The vote was decisive, with 87 members backing the proposal, surpassing the required four-fifths majority.

This transition from the Fourth to the Fifth Republic marks a pivotal moment in Togo's political landscape. The initial draft of the new Constitution sparked intense debates nationwide, prompting President Faure Gnassingbé to call for a second review by Parliament. After extensive national consultations, the revised text was endorsed, incorporating some adjustments.

A four-year Presidential term

Key changes include a shift from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary system, with clearer guidelines for presidential candidacy and the establishment of distinct legal jurisdictions. Notably, the presidential term will now be four years, with the possibility of one re-election, and the President will take an oath before Congress.

Furthermore, the new Constitution defines the candidacy process for the President of the Council, outlines the status of former presidents, and introduces a Council of State and a tribunal of conflicts as regular courts.

This evolution underscores the heightened role of the National Assembly and the Senate in Togo's governance, signaling a more participatory approach to decision-making.

Before becoming official, the new Constitution requires approval from the current head of state. Its adoption precedes the upcoming legislative and regional elections scheduled for April 29.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The West African Economic and Monetary Union's central bank, BCEAO, reported a robust triple-digit increase in revenue from its external assets, reflecting its effective resource management. However, despite this surge, the gains fell short of the potential returns had the funds been invested in the accounts of the French Treasury.

In its latest financial report, BCEAO revealed that its external assets yielded CFA177 billion ($287.3 million) for the fiscal year 2023, marking a significant 112% increase from the previous year.

This marks the second consecutive year since BCEAO started to manage its entire foreign currency reserves outside the French Treasury's accounts. The hike in revenue was fueled by various factors, including improved returns from assets denominated in currencies other than those of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), witnessing a notable uptick of 139%. Furthermore, interest income surged by 74%, while a considerable portion of reserves, totaling CFA3,660.5 billion, was strategically invested in state-issued securities.

Despite this performance, the institution acknowledged that the gains realized were lower compared to the potential returns from investing in the French Treasury. An analysis by Ecofin Agency suggested that the majority of WAEMU countries’ reserves garnered an average yield of 0.94%. This lower return underscores a notable discrepancy, especially when contrasted with the 4.75% marginal lending facility rate offered by the European Central Bank. Currently, this rate remunerates foreign currency assets held in accounts by the Cemac countries and the Comoros, still operating under the former monetary cooperation framework with France.

Despite the institution's good fiscal performance, some areas remain opaque. The BCEAO's financial report did not provide sufficient insight into the management of the WAEMU's foreign exchange reserves, particularly regarding investment strategies. However, it is known that a significant portion of external assets was provided by the IMF, generating the highest foreign exchange revenues, totaling CFA85.13 billion, marking a significant increase of 133%.

At the end of the fiscal year, BCEAO's net profit was CFA315.6 billion. Apart from revenues generated by foreign currency assets, the institution benefited significantly from heightened refinancing demand by commercial banks. This demand resulted in a substantial increase in interest income, amounting to CFA329.4 billion, up 112%.