Lomé hosted an information meeting on the development of projects for the mobilization of climate finance, on 24 November 2022. The meeting was organized in the framework of Togo’s preparation program for accessing the  Green Climate Fund (GCF). The organizers were the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the Togolese Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources.

The workshop brought together various climate change experts and actors fighting the phenomenon. The former told the latter about strategies to raise funds they need for their environmental protection projects. Specifically, they were told the requirements needed for accessing the GCF. 

To get climate financing, notably the GCF’s funds, applicants need well-prepared projects that meet the criteria set by lenders, since the major roadblock for accessing financing is directly linked to the lack of bankable and economically viable projects, according to the resident representative of the GGGI in Togo, Benin, and Ghana, Innocent Kabenga.

A few days ago, let’s recall, Togo was at the COP27 in Egypt. There, Togolese representatives complained about the reticence of polluting countries to mobilize funds to compensate small polluters that suffer irreparable damage caused by climate change. 

Esaïe Edoh

In Togo, the Agency in charge of Rural Electrification and Renewable Energies (AT2ER) wants to install 70,000 solar street lamps. It launched last week, on Nov 14, a call for expression of interest targeting firms that can pre-finance, install and operate the equipment, under a Public Private Partnership.

"The objective of this pre-qualification process is to define the conditions for pre-qualifying private companies that show an interest in supplying, installing, operating, and maintaining a batch of 70,000 solar streetlights sustainably, under a PPP partnership," AT2ER said.

The call for expressions of interest ends on 14 December 2022.

Let’s emphasize that solar energy has been drawing more and more attention in Togo, in recent years. This week, for example, Togo signed a financing agreement with Abu Dhabi Exports, which will lend the country $25 million to expand Blitta’s solar power plant, the largest in West Africa.

This week, a facultative insurance seminar was held in Baguida (Lomé). Launched on November 21, the meeting’s theme was: “Regulation of facultative insurance, scope of guarantees, and compensation procedures”. Facultative insurance covers risks to which goods are exposed while being transported (by sea, land, or air). 

The seminar was organized by the Supervisory Authority of the insurance sector and the National Directorate of Insurance. It mainly aimed to let concerned stakeholders review the regulatory evolutions in the maritime transport sector.

Among others, these stakeholders acquired knowledge that should help them better understand the ins and outs of facultative insurance management and existing regulation, as well as recent amendments to this regulation.

"The birth of insurance originated in the development of transport, particularly maritime transport, which fostered the emergence of other modes with the development of road, rail, and air routes," explained the Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Economy and Finance, Kossi Tofio.

It is worth noting that Togo wants to become a trade hub in West Africa, notably by leveraging its port’s activity.

Last year, the port of Lomé–West Africa's fourth largest container port–recorded 1,962,304 TEUs, against 1,725,270 TEUs in 2020 (+13.7%).

Mawulolo Yomo, PhD student, Life and Environmental Sciences, is the only Togolese among the 20 women scientists selected for this year’s edition of the Sub-Saharan African Young Talents program. The list was recently published by the program’s promoters, Fondation l’Oréal and UNESCO. 

The 20 women were picked by a jury, for their scientific achievements, out of 425 applicants from 16 countries. This is the first time a Togolese is picked since 2020 when the program was launched.

Yomo was picked for her work on seawater intrusion dynamics in the Coastal sedimentary Basin of Togo. “I was inspired and encouraged by many female mentors throughout my career,” she commented.

Among others, the young scientist will get a €10,000 grant to carry out her project, and several leadership training sessions to grow personally and professionally. 

The awards ceremony is set to take place on December 1, 2022, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The World Bank is preparing its next action strategy for Togo, through its 2023-2027 Country Partnership Framework. The Bank recently revealed that it is holding the first phase of consultations with Togo’s main development actors. 

The meetings, which opened on November 17 and should close on November 25, aim to have the World Bank’s future strategy align with the major, current, and future priorities of the Togolese government.

These initial consultations will involve the government, technical and financial partners, and the umbrella organizations of Togo's municipalities. A second phase, scheduled for January/February 2023, will be held with parliamentarians, the private sector, civil society organizations, the media, youth organizations, academic institutions, and other stakeholders.

The meetings will notably allow for discussion of the contours of the new strategy, to ensure that the choices made by the institution meet expectations and are in line with the country's development vision, based on Togo’s 2020-2025 Roadmap.

"The consultations reflect the World Bank's desire to involve all development actors in Togo in the choice of priorities so that its interventions best reflect the aspirations of the people," said Fily Sissoko, head of World Bank operations in Togo. "We will take into account the ideas of the country's key players as well as government programs to have an inclusive strategy to meet the dual challenge of poverty reduction and better-shared prosperity," Sissoko added.

It should be noted that in line with its 2017-2022 Country Partnership Framework, the World Bank committed $1.28 billion to Togo’s development initiatives.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Industrial Platform of Adetikope (PIA), located in Togo, has created over 3,000 jobs, direct and indirect, since it was commissioned in June 2021.

"The PIA has created more than 3,000 jobs for Togolese in several strategic sectors in Togo," the platform reported online.

The 3,000 jobs mark was passed with the help of the Training Center for Textile Professions, which hosts more than 500 young Togolese. These trainees, the PIA claims, "will be able to join the platform’s textile units after their training." Meanwhile, the PIA’s textile park welcomes and encourages investors to set up businesses.

Besides textiles, the industrial platform eyes food, pharmaceutical, recycling, and electric car businesses, among others.

It’s worth emphasizing that the PIA’s long-term goal is to create 35,000 jobs in Togo – a goal that aligns with the government’s ambitions for employment.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Started in 2016, the construction of Kara’s new market should be completed on November 24, 2022, according to sources close to the project.

The project should have been finalized in 2020 but was delayed for several reasons. Earlier this year, in January, the delay prompted Togolese officials, led by the minister of trade, Kodjo Adedze, to put pressure on the contractors hired to do the work. At the time, the minister urged the construction firms to have the market finished by March 2022.

The construction of a new market in Kara falls under a larger project, the PARMCO, which aims to rebuild the markets of Kara and Lomé and support their sellers. The PARMCO is financed by the Togolese State and the AfDB. It was launched after fires ravaged both markets.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo recently adopted a strategy to get rid of mercury, in small-scale and artisanal gold mining operations especially. The document, which was on the table since 2021, was validated during a workshop held on November 14-15, in Lomé. 

By validating the tool, Togo aims to conform with the Minamata convention on mercury, which it ratified. 

The validation was presided over by Col. Konzao Daniel, head of inspection and forest resources. There were also partners from UN Environment and the African Centre for Environmental Health (CASE). The latter is in charge of implementing the strategy.

Overall, implementing the project is expected to cost around CFA8 billion. 

‘Getting adequate and sustainable financing will be a major challenge to overcome towards the modernization and elimination of mercury use in the mining of gold,’ at the small and artisanal scales, said Col. Konzoo Daniel. 

To achieve this goal, the official stressed that the State needs to be supported by private actors and financial institutions.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi