Lomé will host the 14th Conference of Ministers in charge of Employment and Vocational Training of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) on September 15. The meeting will focus on identifying common strategies for boosting youth employment in WAEMU States. 

The conference’s theme is: "Labor market information system: what strategies for better socio-professional integration of young people in the UEMOA space?" 

According to Eké Kokou Hodin, Togo's Minister for Vocational Training, the actions to be identified and undertaken in the UEMOA region should improve knowledge of the labor market environment. 

The representatives of the Uemoa countries present, along with experts, will reflect on the labor market environment, and the consolidation and sustainability of systems for monitoring labor market indicators. This is to, ultimately, identify the best prospects for training and professional integration of young people and women in the Union. 

Before the meeting, a preparatory meeting of experts, focal points, and other stakeholders was held from September 12 to 14 in Lomé. They looked at the various goals assigned to the 14th Conference of Ministers to see how relevant they were. 

Esaïe Edoh

Togolese companies should integrate intellectual property into their business strategy. This, according to the Minister of Trade, Rose Kayi Mivedor-Sambiani, would make them more competitive, at the continental level. The official made the statement on the sidelines of the 24th African Day for Intellectual Property, on September 13.

"Intellectual property is a crucial issue for businesses," said the minister. Indeed, intellectual property enables companies, especially, to protect their creations, such as inventions, trademarks, industrial designs, and models, to deal with unfair competition, to participate in technology transfer negotiations, and to defend against any unauthorized use.

The Trade Minister underscored the importance of intellectual property for businesses in relation to the upcoming launch of the African Free Trade Continental Area (AfCFTA) which “requires strong competition”.

Alongside the Intellectual Property Day, Lomé is hosting this week the 4th edition of the OAPI Brand Awards, from September 13 to 15. This biennial event of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) rewards the dynamism of companies (SMEs/SMIs) from member states while raising awareness among economic players of the importance of protecting and exploiting the OAPI brand.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Togolese Minister of Youth, Myriam Dossou-d'Almeida, is in London. The official is attending the 10th Commonwealth Youth Ministers' Meeting which opened on September 12 and closes on September 14. 

On September 11, Dossou-d’Almeida discussed with the Commonwealth’s Secretary General, Patricia Scotland, the prospect of the organization's support for young Togolese in the fields of artificial intelligence development and language skills.

A few days prior, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission offered Togo 32 scholarships for Master's (19 places) and Doctorate (13 places) degrees in the UK for the year 2024.

Togo, it should be noted, became a member of the Commonwealth just over a year ago. 

Esaïe Edoh

Throughout the first half of the year, Togo’s budget expenditures stood at CFA846.21 billion. According to the General Directorate of Budget and Finance (DGBF) that disclosed the figure in its "Rapport d'exécution du budget de l'Etat à fin juin exercise 2023", it is 22.84% more than the State spent over the first six months of 2022–that is CFA632.06 billion.

According to the report, the amount spent between January and June 2023 represents 43.32% of the total the State plans to spend throughout the year. 

In detail, budget expenditure amounts to CFA632.06 billion, while cash expenses are estimated at CFA214.16 billion.

The report attributes this year's expenditure increase to a rise in revenue mitigation expenditure (CFA 85.12 billion), personnel expenditure (CFA 139.71 billion), transfer expenditure (CFA 87.74 billion), and investment projects (CFA 157.94 billion).

Esaïe Edoh

Last weekend, Togo's Comité de réflexion sur la stratégie intégrée de lutte contre la drogue et les substances psychoactives chez les jeunes (Committee for Reflection on the integrated strategy to combat drugs and psychoactive substances among young people) announced several measures to protect the country's youth against addictions. The measures include air and land border controls, and banning the sale and consumption of drugs, shisha, and psychotropics at the municipal level.

The ad hoc committee also plans to regulate access to social networks, especially online sales, and to deploy law enforcement officers around schools to deter drug dealers.

The planned initiatives should enable children to grow up in a healthy environment, reduce the risks of drug abuse, and prevent young people from becoming addicts and victims of organized crime, violent extremism, or terrorism.

In the same framework, "the fight against drugs will be better coordinated". In addition, “evidence-based education and prevention programs targeting youth, families, and communities will be implemented", added Kossi Amayi, chairman of the committee.

According to the Ministry of Grassroots Development, the upcoming measures are prompted by the results of the "West African Epidemiological Network Drug Use (WENDU)" research. The study, which covers the ECOWAS region, found that most people being treated for drug addiction in Togo are aged between 20 and 39.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo hosted the first Youth Delivery Lab (YDL), a roundtable dedicated to the Togolese youth, last Saturday, September 9. Organized by the Youth for Youth Association (Y4Y) and chaired by the minister, secretary general of the Presidency, Sandra Ablamba Johnson, the event gathered more than 500 young people. 

The meeting’s theme was "Transforming Local SMEs into National Champions: key roadblocks and potential solutions for Togo". The participants, who came from all the regions of the country talked about the key ingredients for the country’s emergence. 

According to Sandra Ablamba Johnson, the roundtable aligns with the government’s vision of promoting responsible, enterprising youth, capable of building Togo’s future. She then added that authorities were determined to help the youth in their endeavors.

"Our President is ready and willing to support you, to support youth entrepreneurship through pragmatic reforms and the implementation of related mechanisms among which is the presidential program of excellence. These efforts cannot be achieved without the manifest will of young people," Johnson declared.

The official urged the Togolese youth to be patriotic, responsible citizens, excellent, and humble. 

Stanislas Baba, the Minister-Counsellor to the Head of State, was also present, and on the occasion, he encouraged the Togolese youth "to make the most of their potential and creative genius".

The Youth Delivery Lab is a platform that supports young people's civic participation in the government's vision. It fosters exchange, networking, and the sharing of best practices among young people.

Esaïe Edoh

Togo secured a €35 million loan from the French Development Agency (AFD) to continue its coastal protection works along the 7km-long axis going from Gbodjome to Agbodrafo.

The related agreement was inked last Friday, September 8, by the Togolese minister of finance, Sani Yaya, and France’s ambassador to Togo, Augustin Favereau. Several important figures were present, including the Togolese minister of environment and AFD’s country director. 

"I am delighted with the signing of the Credit Agreement with the Agence Française de Développement for 35 million euros, or around 23 billion CFA francs, to finance coastal protection works over 7 kilometers between the villages of Gbodjomé and Agbodrafo", said Minister Yaya. 

A few days before AFD’s support, Togo had received around €23 million from Invest International, a Dutch company. The money was also to help the West African country fight coastal erosion along the Gbodjome-Agbodrafo axis. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved a €128.17 million financing for Togo, to fight coastal erosion. The Bank’s Board approved the facility during its 352nd meeting held on September 9, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

No additional detail regarding the funding has been disclosed so far, but it adds to similar facilities provided by the AFD (€35 million) and Invest International (€23 million). 

In Africa, the IsDB approved €61.9 million for Nigeria, to improve electricity transport and foster innovation in the energy and ICT sectors. Sudan will get $1.5 million to support people who have been affected by the conflict.

So far, the IsDB has disbursed $800 million worldwide to support its member States. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Women Unions Federation of Kozah (FUGFK) in northern Togo loaned CFA106.4 million to its members in 2022. The Federation disclosed the figure last week, during its general ordinary assembly. 

According to the FUGFK, the total amount breaks down into CFA75.3 million for commercial activities and CFA31.1 million for farming activities. Overall, the Federation approved 71% of the loan requests it received over the past year; these requests total CFA148.4 million.

Regarding repayment, borrowers paid 76.15% of the commercial loans and 89.55% of the farming loans. Reimbursement is one of the issues the Federation wants to solve. Some others, according to its management, include the lack of monthly meetings within the unions, and insufficient mobilization of funds for the Federation's projects.

Present at the ordinary assembly, local councilor Palanga Koloudjowo, representing the mayor of Kozah 1 municipality, praised FUGFK's efforts to foster women's economic inclusion and encouraged them to repay their loans. 

Founded in 2009, FUGFK currently has around 19,000 members. They are gathered under 1,550 grassroots groups pooled into 30 cooperative unions.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi