Togo First
Togolese government sets up a special office for road security amidst rising accidents
The government of Togo has established an office especially for promoting road safety, according to a statement issued by the ministers’ council on March 27, 2022. The National Road Safety Office (ONSR), as it is called, has a mission to “study, research, and implement all measures that could improve the safety of road users,” the statement reads.
The measures include preventing accidents, training drivers, raising their awareness, as well as improving emergency medical support.
The ONSR, according to Lomé, will reinforce strategies and programs aimed at tackling road insecurity in Togo.
The news is announced in a context where the increase in the number of road accidents is strongly deplored by the competent authorities, especially for motorcycles. Measures such as the mandatory wearing of helmets for passengers (motorcycles), the recent establishment of an Observatory of Land Transport (OTT), or the introduction of a category A driving permit or breathalyzer on the roads, had been considered.
In 2021, nearly 7,500 accidents were recorded on Togolese roads, resulting in 680 deaths.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Electricity for all: Tinga Fund gets CFA3 billion for pilot phase
The Tinga Fund, set up to boost access to electricity in Togo, will enter its pilot phase on April 1, 2022. The fund, which has a seed capital of CFA3 billion, was presented by Mila Aziable, minister of energy and mines, at the last Council of Ministers held on March 25.
The pilot phase of the facility will extend over nine months, deployed in the regions of Kara and Savanes. "The fund will allow about thirty-three thousand (33,000) households to be connected to electricity against the payment of an initial amount of one thousand (1,000) FCFA instead of an average cost of one hundred thousand (100,000) FCFA. The remaining access fees will be reimbursed over up to ten (10) years depending on household income," the government wrote in a statement issued after the council.
The project’s objective is to increase electrification rates in the Savanes and Kara regions to 31% (from 22%) and 50% (from 35%), respectively, over the next decade.
The Tinga Fund, let’s recall, was announced in November 2021, in line with the Togolese authorities' ambition to achieve universal access to electricity in the country by 2030.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
BOAD and Togo team up to boost sports in schools and universities
The West African Development Bank (BOAD) and the Togolese Ministry of Sports and Leisure inked on March 24, 2022, a partnership framework agreement, through which both parties commit to promoting sports in schools and universities.
The convention, signed by Lidi Bessi-Kama, Minister of Sports, and Serge Ekué, President of BOAD, according to the Togolese official, aligns with his ministry’s ambition to foster the emergence of talent, as well as to channel the youth.
Additionally, Bessi-Kama praised the BOAD for believing "in the magic of sports and its ability to mobilize, unite and educate the youth to divert it from the scourges of terrorism, banditry, and dropping out, which undermine societies.”
For his part, Serge Ekué said the agreement was signed in line with BOAD's regional initiatives on the issue of youth.
Esaïe Edoh
Togolese fintech K-Pital Invest to take part in the BM Prime Capital Pitch Competition
K-Pital Invest, the Togolese fundraising platform set up by the Centre Urbain de Business et d'Entrepreneur (CUBE), an incubator based in Lomé, has been picked to participate in the BM Prime Capital Pitch Competition. The latter is a contest organized by New York-based venture capitalist BM Prime. It targets startups that operate in French-speaking Africa.
“We are pleased to announce that our fintech #KPITAL_INVEST #IK has been selected for the final round of the BM Prime Capital Pitch Competition, launched by BM Prime Capital a New York-based investment firm,” CUBE enthused.
BM Prime Capital is a hybrid venture capital/venture capital firm that sets up and supports companies in the U.S., and in particular, intends to act as a liaison to provide seed funding to technology startups in French-speaking African countries.
“For the Competition [BM Prime Capital Competition], we're keeping our fingers crossed. Nevertheless, whatever the result, it already means that there is potential in this project and that potential investors recognize it. This is already a victory,” said Urbain Amoussou, founder of CUBE.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togolese former PM Gilbert Houngbo elected as the new head of ILO
The Togolese Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo is the new Director-General of the International Labour Office (ILO). He was appointed on Friday, March 25, 2022, by the Governing Body of the institution. The appointment took place during a meeting in Geneva.
Houngbo, who currently heads the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), beat the French Muriel Penicaud in the second round of the elections, according to information received by Togo First.
Elected for the 2023-2027 term, the Togolese is the 11th Director-General of the ILO and the first African to hold this position. He will take office in October 2022, replacing the British Guy Ryder.
Gilbert Houngbo was Prime Minister of Togo from 2008 to 2012. With more than three decades of experience in international organizations (IOs), he held senior positions in the UN system, including UNDP, ILO, IFAD, and UN-Water.
Esaïe Edoh
Togolese parliament approves Togo’s adhesion to the UN convention on the Law of Sea
Last Tuesday, Togolese deputies voted, unanimously, for Togo's adhesion to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on the conservation and management of fish stocks.
The law gives States rights to manage fisheries resources, situated within and beyond the exclusive economic zones.
“Togo aims to practice responsible fishing espousing the trilogy of conservation, sustainable exploitation, and management of stocks, without damaging the marine environment, while maintaining the integrity of marine ecosystems and minimizing the risk of long-term or irreversible effects of fishing operations,” said the elected representatives.
Togo’s adhesion to the convention should, according to the Minister of Maritime Economy and Fisheries, Edem Tengue, allow the country to further modernize its fisheries sector.
In 2021, let’s recall, Togo recorded a surge in artisanal fishing and fishery resources. Specifically, more than 4,000 t of fish were caught from the artisanal fishing port of Lomé (POPEL), up by almost 18% compared to the 3,450 t of 2020.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo to keep fertilizer subsidy this year, despite Ukraine crisis
In Togo, the Ministry of Agriculture announced on March 24, 2022, that fertilizers would be subsidized during the 2022-2023 agricultural season. This is despite the global surge in input costs caused by the war in Ukraine.
“The government, aware of the issues and objectives it aims to achieve through its roadmap 2020-2025, particularly concerning improving yields and agricultural productivity, will take as far as possible, the necessary steps to mitigate the effects of this increase in prices to producers,” a note on the ministry’s website reads
To “cover all the needs of producers,” the Togolese authorities announced that they have ordered, “a considerable quantity” of fertilizer which is already being distributed in all regions of the country.
Committed to subsidizing fertilizer, Lomé added that it will tackle the speculative rush on the product and take measures to back law enforcement and security forces to stem the outflow of stocks at Togolese borders.
It should be noted that during the last two seasons, a 50 kg bag of fertilizer was sold at 12,500 CFA francs, thanks to the state subsidy.
Esaïe Edoh
Banm Lab rolls out registration process for its second cohort of incubates
In Togo, the Banm Lab, a startup incubator based in Dapaong (650 km from Lomé), is opening the recruitment of young project holders for its second cohort of incubates.
"Registrations are open until April 3rd for the recruitment of the second cohort of young entrepreneurs wishing to master the contours of the creation and management of a business. Shortly, for this business creation support program, the focus will be on female applications," says the institution.
The Banm Lab is the second innovative incubator promoted by the Ministry of Grassroots Development, Youth and Youth Employment, after the Nunya Lab in Lomé. Operational since May 21, 2021, and located at the youth center of Dapaong, the Banm Lab was born with the support -technical and financial- of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Learn more on the BanmLab website, or by email.
President Gnassingbé recognized as Africa’s cybersecurity champion
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé received this Wednesday in Lomé, at the opening of the summit on cybersecurity, the African champion of cybersecurity award.
"I am very humbled to receive this award because it is rare to receive an award before the start of the mission. I assure you of the achievement of the mission assigned to me," said the Togolese leader who added that this distinction reinforces the position of Togo in the fight against cybercrime. Moreover, it strengthens its determination to continue to fight for data protection, he said.
The Togolese Head of State also pledged to motivate African states to ratify the Malabo Convention (Equatorial Guinea) on cybersecurity and the fight against cybercrime in Africa adopted in June 2014.
Regarding the cybersecurity summit, it gathers more than 700 actors of the digital ecosystem.
Esaïe Edoh
More than 700 participants, including 17 African leaders said they will attend the upcoming cybersecurity summit in Lomé
Seventeen (17) African heads of state and government have confirmed that they will attend Africa’s first summit on cybersecurity that will open in Lomé on March 23, 2022. The summit’s organizers, in addition to disclosing this information, said more than 700 participants, including the private sector and civil society leaders, have registered to take part in this event.
At the Lomé summit scheduled for 2 days, participants will debate cybersecurity issues during presidential, ministerial, and expert panels. Talks and keynotes are also planned during this meeting which will be chaired by the Togolese President, Faure Gnassingbé.
Among others, a series of demonstrations of cyberattacks should take place, to raise awareness of the challenges of cybersecurity and introduce good digital practices.
The event will be sanctioned by a declaration to be adopted.