During its latest council of ministers, held on 24 May, the Togolese government adopted a draft bill for the creation and management of the country’s protected areas. 

With this, Lomé has passed a new milestone in biodiversity protection, amid a rapidly-changing global context, relative to biodiversity conservation, and rising socioeconomic and ecologic challenges associated with its sustainable management. 

The new bill, which still needs the parliament’s approval, aims to adapt the existing legal framework to ensure better management of protected areas. Specifically, it will help set rules and regulations for creating and managing these areas. 

"Its adoption will allow our country to have a specific legal framework dedicated to protected areas in the perspective of their contribution to the achievement of sustainable development goals including project 35 of the government roadmap 2020-2025,"  the government indicated.

According to forecasts, Togo wants to expand its forest cover to 25%, by 2025. In recent weeks, Lomé took several steps in line with this goal. Among others, it adopted a bill to bolster efforts to tackle climate change, and before that, it was a decree to boost carbon storage. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Asky Airlines will lease two Boeing 737-8 MAX from AerCap Holdings. The Lomé-based Pan-African carrier recently signed the lease agreements with the Dublin-based plane rentals company, according to a press release issued by the latter. The planes should be delivered between June and August 2023. 

The announcement ceremony was attended by the CEOs of ASKY and AerCap, respectively Esayas W. Hailu and Aengus Kelly. The Board Chairman of Ethiopian Airlines Group and Aviation Advisor to Togo, Girma Wake, and board members of ASKY were also present. 

"We are delighted to welcome ASKY as a new customer to AerCap and particularly pleased to place the first MAX in Togo," said Aengus Kelly, the CEO of AerCap.

The two aircraft will reinforce ASKY’s fleet as the airline expands across the sub-region and the African continent. 

"I consider it an honor to introduce state-of-the-art B737-8 MAX aircraft into the ASKY fleet, which will support our wide regional network in our continuous endeavor to serve our esteemed customers," said Esayas W. HAILU, the CEO of ASKY.

“With the two new planes that are coming, there will be flights to Paris and Asia. Since Lomé is a strategic platform, and the sub-regional hub, it is important to increase the traffic and bolster the country’s strategy in the air sector,” he added. 

Presently, ASKY covers 27 destinations from Lomé, in 24 countries in West and Central Africa. The company claims 210 flights transporting 19,000 passengers per week. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi & Esaïe Edoh

The Public Administration Savings and Credit Cooperative (CECAP) in Togo announced positive annual results at its ordinary general assembly, held on May 20 in Lomé, according to the Togolese Press Agency (ATOP). During the meeting, the cooperative's members reviewed and adopted its moral report, credit committee report, financial report, and supervisory board report.

Net Profit surges 11%

The entity posted a net profit of 68.2 million FCFA, up by about 11% compared to the year before.

The microfinance institution, last year, recorded 448 new memberships and closed 36 accounts for various reasons. 

A CFA230 million loan from BOA-Togo

In 2022, the cooperative received a loan of 230 million FCFA from BOA-Togo to support its activities. It also ranked first among public administration cooperatives for the second consecutive year.

Over the period reviewed, deposits slightly exceeded 1.017 billion FCFA, deposit balances reached 1.579 billion FCFA, while credits granted were 1.809 billion FCFA (up by 12.16% compared to 2021).

Besides reviewing the past exercise, the CECAP’s general assembly approved a 3.5% remuneration rate for cooperatives, put reserve allocation at 42.8 million FCFA, and allowed the Board to set the deposit rate for 2023 based on the results obtained.

At the end of the meeting, Nouwossan Komlan, who chairs the Board, lauded the various cooperative bodies and encouraged the cooperators to keep promoting the CECAP.

Established in 1991 by the Togolese public administration, the CECAP aims to help its members secure cheap loans and facilitate their financial transactions.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Lomé is hosting a Pan-African forum that gathered Designated National Authorities (DNAs) from 23 countries that adhere to the Pan-African Readiness initiative. The forum is steered by the Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI). Launched on May 23, the forum aims to define strategies for better access to climate financing in African states.

During the 3-day meeting, the DNAs will deepen their understanding of the Green Climate Fund, so they can help their respective countries access climate financing. They will also learn more about climate change adaptation projects and share best practices or successful adaptation projects.

According to Togo's Minister of Environment and Forestry Resources, Foli-Bazi Katari, defining a common strategy is necessary due to Africa’s financial flows which are lower than needed to implement adaptation measures in all sectors, at the national level.

"In our respective countries, we must promote sectoral policies and governance mechanisms that encourage and support the attraction of national and international capital," he said.

Sandra Freitas, who heads the Sustainable Solution for Africa (SSFA) firm, added that "it is essential for countries to reflect deeply on how to mobilize the capital necessary for investing in climate change before the crisis intensifies and takes on proportions that we cannot control."

The ongoing Pan-African forum aligns with AAI’s project to support African leadership’s climate change adaptation efforts. 

Esaïe Edoh

Preparations for the 9th Pan-African Congress which Lomé is set to host next year officially began on May 22. The launch ceremony was attended by several officials from Togo and the foreign affairs ministers of South Africa and DR Congo. Togolese PM, Victoire Tomegah Dogbé presided over the ceremony. 

The Congress should take place between October and December 2024. Organized by Togo and the African Union (AU), it will focus on the following theme: "Renewing Pan-Africanism and Africa's Role in the Reform of Multilateral Institutions: Mobilizing Resources and Reinventing Ourselves for Action."

The 9th Panafricain congress Lomé 2024 has been opened today by HE Mrs Victoire Tomegah-Dogbé, Prémier Minister of Togolese Republique. #PanAfrican #9thPanAfricaincongres #Lomé2024 #Africanophone #Africanophony #APA @DIRCO_ZA @DIRCO_ZA @_AfricanUnion #PanAfricanism pic.twitter.com/dPH9q6mXPa

— Robert Dussey (@rdussey) May 22, 2023

For Togo, holding the event is a challenge. Robert Dussey, the Togolese minister of foreign affairs said in this regard: "We want this congress to be a congress of action. We want this congress to result in a declaration and for this declaration to impact key issues, including identity issues, issues of the role that Africa must play, the issue of business, and the contribution of our Afro-descendant brothers on the African continent. We hope that this congress can give us perspectives of the actions that will be carried out."

Togo’s concern seems valid considering that during the previous edition, South Africa, which hosted the event, refused to allow some northern African representatives to participate. 

The exact date of the next edition has not been decided yet but the Ministry of foreign affairs of Togo assured that it would happen in 2024. The first edition of the Pan-African Congress dates back to 1919. 

Esaïe Edoh

Now that it is eligible for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact Program, Togo wants to take advantage of opportunities offered by the United States International Development Finance Corporation (US-DFC). It aims to do so through the American Catalyst Facility for Development (ACFD), a facility that funds development projects in Africa. In this framework, the Togo MCC Compact program implementation unit and the US-DFC organized a virtual meeting on investment opportunities in Togo last Wednesday, May 17.

The session gathered over 200 investors, mostly members of the US Chamber of Commerce. Participants were mainly briefed on the ACFD which is a mechanism set up to optimize and organize collaboration between the MCC and the US-DFC. Its ultimate goal is to mobilize private sector capital from the US to finance companies in developing countries.

During the meeting, investors were introduced to various business opportunities available in Togo, across various sectors, and to the Togolese government’s top projects and priorities. Speaking on the occasion, Stéphane Tchasso Akaya, Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and National Coordinator of Togo's Compact program, said: "Togo enjoys an exceptional geostrategic position and remains a privileged gateway to the West African market of 300 million inhabitants. The roadmap which is valued at US$6 billion offers investment opportunities in high-impact projects, with up to 52% of the portfolio available for the American private sector."

For her part, Rose Kayi Mivedor, the Minister for Investment Promotion, noted that "accelerating economic growth is a priority for the government, which has a roadmap with 36 projects and six priority reforms to implement by 2025."

This meeting was held as part of the "Vendre la Destination Togo” initiative. The latter aims to promote Togo to investors from different countries.

Esaïe Edoh 

Works to renovate and asphalt the 10 km long road that connects the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA) to its extension zone in Kpomé, are 55% complete.  This was reported during an on-site visit conducted by Zouréhatou Kassah-Traoré, the Togolese minister of public works, on May 19, 2023.

Regarding the deadline of the project, the ministry indicated that 66% of the time allotted has already been consumed. According to reports, earthwork and roadwork, along with the construction of sanitation facilities and a bridge, are underway

Despite the gap between the rate of physical progress and the consumed timeframe, Minister Kassa-Traoré said she is happy with the progress and urged SOGEA-SATOM, the contractor, to speed up its pace so the deadline is met.

The works, once finished, will birth a two-lane road, with each lane having a width of 7m and separated by a 2m divider. Drainage and sanitation facilities like culverts and ditches are also included in the project, as well as a 25m-long artifice (in the form of a bridge) to serve as an underpass for locals.

Fatou Diallo Ndiaye is the new resident representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Togo. She officially presented her appointment letter to the Togolese minister of foreign affairs, Robert Dussey, last week. 

Appointed several months ago, Ndiaye will cover Togo, Benin, and Ghana. She will mainly handle migration issues in these countries and ensure good governance at their borders.

"I congratulate you and reassure you of the Togolese Government's readiness and support in the accomplishment of your mission. Please accept our gratitude towards the IOM for its constant presence and multifaceted support for the implementation of the government's roadmap," said Robert Dussey.

Fatou Diallo Ndiaye started her mission with a work session with Yark Damehame, the minister of security and civil protection.

The Senegalese diplomat has nearly 20 years of experience. Before coming to Togo, she worked in Senegal, Niger, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Norway, under the IOM.

Esaïe Edoh

The Lomé Container Terminal (LCT), the main container terminal of the port of Lomé, will soon receive a new towing vessel. The news was disclosed by Antonio Bordils, CEO of Boluda Towage, a global leader in towing and the company that is providing the boat.

According to the Port of Lomé, Bordils was speaking with Togo’s Minister of Maritime Economy, Edem Tengue, on May 16th. The businessman came to see the official with a delegation from his company. 

The incoming tugboat, intended for the outfitting, docking, and rescue of commercial vessels, will bolster the towing capabilities of LCT, particularly for mega-ships. It should also help Lomé’s port keep its competitive standing against the ports of Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Tema (Ghana), and the port of Lekki (Nigeria) which has recently developed.

As MSC’s transshipment regional hub, LCT plays a significant role in containerized goods traffic in West Africa. Last year, the terminal handled 1,569,138 TEUs, an important share of the whole port’s container traffic.

Recently, LCT announced a €50 million investment to expand and acquire more handling equipment.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi