The IMF scaled down its global growth forecast for 2022 on April 19, 2022. From 4.4%, which the institution projected in January, the figure now stands at 3.6%. A drop the Bretton Woods body attributes to the Russia-Ukraine war, rolling lockdowns in China. The IMF made the new forecast during its spring meetings with the World Bank, in Washington.

The forecast revision is based on the IMF’s expectation that global inflation will be higher and last longer than previously anticipated. “The war in Ukraine will disrupt supply chains, which have barely recovered from the disruptions of the past two years due to plant closures, rising sea freight prices, and port congestion,” it said.

Meanwhile, David Malpass, president of the World Bank, wrote in an analysis that the war in Ukraine should hurt east European economies, and part of Asia, more than coronavirus. Earlier this month, the Bank said Ukraine’s economic growth would fall by nearly 50% this year. It also said developing countries are facing great challenges, as a result of other conflicts happening in the world, covid-19 and climate change. 

The two institutions, in this context, warned of growing risks of fragility, conflict, instability, and food insecurity. These, they noted, will make developing countries more vulnerable, especially regarding their debt levels, low literacy, and climate change effects. The IMF and World Bank hence agreed on the crucial aspect of preparing for coming crises and boosting international cooperation, to help the most vulnerable people to become more resilient.

Esaïe Edoh 

In Togo, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP) has launched a new campaign to assess the quality of cell phone services. This two-month campaign will focus on mobile voice (2G) and data (3G and 4G) services of Togo Cellular and Moov Africa Togo.

"This action aims to evaluate the level of quality of services provided by these operators to determine their compliance with regulatory requirements," the ARCEP wrote in a statement issued on April 19, 2022.

The Togolese telecom watchdog has previously adopted some measurement tools for this purpose, including a protocol for assessing the quality of mobile services, as well as cutting-edge QoS (Quality of Service) measurements and processing tools.

The results of a previous survey revealed, last December, "serious shortcomings regarding the quality of service requirements." This time, however, the regulator warns that "sanctions will be imposed by the Regulatory Authority against operators, per Article 31 of the LCE (Law on Electronic Communications of Togo, editor's note)" if any other failure is found.

The ARCEP also said that such an assessment campaign should be carried out twice a year, with results made public.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Ethiopian Airlines will, starting from June, provide direct flights from Lomé to Washington, thrice a week. The news was revealed by Samson Arega, regional director of the airlines in the U.S., who has been quoted by several media outlets. 

The executive stressed that the planes landing in Washington would return to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. 

Ethiopian Airlines is driven by its ambition to serve more people in West Africa. That is why the airlines chose Lomé which houses one of its strategic partners, Asky Airlines.

Also, adding new flights was possible because Covid-induced restrictions are being lifted and movement resumes. This is good news for Lomé as it will reinforce its position as a relay point in Africa, for long-distance flights to the U.S.

Indeed, the Togolese capital already serves as a stopover point for connections to Africa with the New York region, and the new route will be added to those of Newark and Los Angeles, which were active before the disruptions linked to Covid-19. Overall, Togo will move closer to achieving its ambition of becoming an air hub.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

By the end of May 2022, Togo and Ghana will re-delineate their land border with border markers. This was disclosed by the national coordinator of Ghana's Border Commission, Brigadier General Emmanuel Kotia, after a field visit conducted on April 14.

"The decision taken here is that the two countries will jointly set up a technical committee to work on the reconstruction of these pillars. The deadline we have given ourselves is until May," Kotia told the press following his visit along the boundary line between the two neighboring West African countries.

The Ghanaian official claims that the Commission's priority is to ensure the protection of the two territories and avoid conflicts. The measure is indeed part of a plan put in place for this purpose and aims to calm a long-standing border dispute between Togo and Ghana. 

To date, the grey areas focus on the pillars of Aflao (Ghana's border town, neighboring Lomé) and Pogulo. These pillars were removed due to natural or human activities, according to the Ghanaian general.

In parallel, the two countries have also been negotiating for several years over their maritime border. In this regard, their respective leaders, President Faure Gnassingbé and President Nana Akufo-Addo, recently agreed to conduct talks that would improve bilateral relations between Togo and Ghana.

The restoration of these border markers, some of which have disappeared or are damaged, is funded by the African Union's "Border Program."

Togo secured, on 24th March, $2 million (about CFA1 billion) from Japan to better tackle Covid-19.

Specifically, the donation will be used by UNICEF's representation, under the "Emergency Grant Aid promoting COVID-19 vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean, and African countries." 

According to a joint statement from the two governments, the UN agency will use the money to help Togo commission equipment deployed for Covid vaccination. Thus, the grant will contribute to "strengthening access to basic health services, including the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), which aims to protect 338,624 children aged 0-11 months against preventable diseases by 2022." It will also help reinforce the health system's cold chain throughout Togo.

Earlier in 2020, Togo, under the EPI, received initial funding of $1.6 million which served to acquire protective equipment, such as masks, handwashing devices, and hydroalcoholic gels. In total, nearly 350 health facilities and 200 schools in the country benefited from this first round of funding.

For the UNICEF Resident Representative in Togo, Aissata Ba Sidibé, the facility's provision "is a recognition of Togo's commendable efforts to protect the population against COVID." It also supports the implementation of national priorities in the government's 2020-2025 Roadmap, under its first axis aimed at improving people's access to basic social services.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo successfully closed its first issue on the UMOA-titres (WAMU securities) market for this quarter. The treasury secured CFA32 billion, thus two billion more than it was seeking.

The proceeds were obtained by issuing recovery bonds (OdR), with a nominal value of CFA10,000, a 7-year maturity period, and a fixed interest rate of 5.8%.

Overall, Lomé raised CFA68 billion from 21 participants, thus representing a subscription rate of 229%. 

So far into the year, Togo has secured CFA192 billion of the UMOA-Titres market, through six operations. This is out of a target of CFA550 billion for the whole year. 

Esaïe Edoh

The two leaders met in Abidjan on April 14 where they discussed West Africa’s political and security situation and how it impacts the region’s economic development.

Presidents Faure Gnassingbé and Alassane Ouattara mainly talked about fighting terrorism, especially in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. In this regard, Togo's Head of state declared: "The fight against terrorism can no longer be seen as a problem of Mali, Burkina or Niger alone. It is a sub-regional problem, an ECOWAS problem.”

Concerning the socio-political context in countries like Guinea, Mali and Burkina-Faso, and its impact on sub-regional integration and the lives of the people, Faure Gnassingbé said boldness and solidarity are key to dealing with it, definitely.

After they talked,  the two Presidents said they were ready to cooperate with other leaders, notably ECOWAS leaders, through the Accra Initiative for the preservation of peace and security in the sub-region.

"With my brother Faure Gnassingbé, we have decided to pool our efforts to preserve peace and security in our sub-region, particularly in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso," the Ivorian leader tweeted.

Esaïe Edoh 

Just like in June 2021, the Togolese government, following its recent decision to increase the price of petroleum products, has established a new tariff schedule for intra-urban and inter-urban transport of people and goods.

The new tariffs in effect set the ceiling for the cost of transporting people and goods. Specifically, the adjusted rates for intra-urban transport of people, mainly in Lomé, vary between 300 FCFA and 500 FCFA, compared to 250 FCFA and 500 FCFA before the end of March.  Intercity travel by car is priced between CFAF 700 and CFAF 10,000 from Lomé to inland cities.

The new cost of transporting goods is set at between CFAF 63 and CFAF 78 for goods with a weight/volume ratio of not less than 500 kg/m3. For other types of goods, the rate is set by mutual agreement between the carrier and the charterer.

These new tariffs must be respected by all actors, the Togolese authorities said, warning that violators will be subject to penalties under the regulations in force.

Esaïe Edoh