Togo and Belarus have signed a mutual visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports.

Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey and his Belarusian counterpart, Maxim Ryzhenkov, signed the agreement on March 2, 2026, in Lomé during Ryzhenkov’s first official visit to the country.

The deal follows a meeting between the two ministers in September 2025 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Both sides said the agreement is aimed at strengthening ties and expanding cooperation in sectors including industry and agriculture.

Relations between Lomé and Minsk remain limited but could gain momentum. Belarus has a strong mechanical engineering sector, producing tractors, agricultural machinery and mining equipment. It could therefore support Togo’s efforts to modernize its agriculture and advance industrial development. Since 2013, Belarus has accredited ambassadors to Togo, although they are based in other countries.

Local governance in Togo is entering a new phase in coordinating public policy implementation with the planned rollout of “administrative conferences.”

The initiative is led by the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Local Governance and Customary Affairs. It will initially be piloted in the Kara region. The project was the central focus of a meeting held in late February in Lomé.

The administrative conferences are intended to be gradually rolled out across all regions of the country. They will serve as a formal framework for coordinating decentralized state services. Specifically, they will function as a platform for consultation, planning, and monitoring policy implementation at the regional and prefectural levels.

According to the Ministry of Territorial Administration, the approach aims to ensure consistency across government sectors. It also seeks to establish systematic reporting from local levels to the central administration and to strengthen oversight of policy implementation.

“They must allow the State to speak with one voice and act in a coordinated manner throughout the territory,” said Minister Hodabalo Awaté.

According to the minister, the administrative conferences should become “a tool for preventing administrative breakdowns, an early warning mechanism, and a space for information sharing.” He added that they should also make government action more visible to the public.

The initiative comes two years after Togo took a new step in its decentralization process with the establishment of governorates in most economic regions, with the exception of the Centrale region. Authorities say it forms part of a broader, gradual transformation of the country’s territorial governance structure.

Esaïe Edoh

The Togolese government, through the CITAFRIC agency, has issued a call for expressions of interest to recruit an electrical engineer. The selected expert will support the Project Management Unit overseeing the construction of 20,000 affordable housing units.

The specialist will work on feasibility studies and primary road infrastructure. The assignment is funded by a grant from the African Development Bank (AfDB). Candidates must hold a master’s degree and have at least 10 years of experience designing electrical systems for large-scale residential developments.

Particular attention will be given to candidates’ experience in drafting technical specifications and managing projects financed by international donors.

The 20,000-unit housing project is part of the Togolese government’s roadmap. It aims to reduce the affordable housing deficit while easing congestion in central Lomé. Led by the Ministry of Urban Planning, the program is primarily being implemented at the Kpome Dalave site, which spans 1,177 hectares, as well as in Sagbado-Avoeme and Yokoe-Kopegan.

The project goes beyond housing construction, seeking to develop resilient and modern urban centers that meet strict standards for energy transition, sanitation and smart infrastructure.

Applications must be submitted by March 10, 2026. The recruitment signals the start of a critical technical phase aimed at securing the program’s energy infrastructure.

R.E.D

Togo’s National Assembly on Friday, Feb. 27, adopted a bill extending the state of emergency in the northern Savanes region for 12 months from March 13. The measure has been in place since June 2022.

The vote was attended by Economy and Strategic Oversight Minister Badanam Patoki and Security Minister Calixte Batossie Madjoulba. Government officials said the extension reflects ongoing terrorist threats along the country’s northern borders.

Authorities say the state of emergency allows defense and security forces to strengthen operations while increasing protection for civilians.

Lawmakers from the ruling majority also pointed to the region’s economic importance. The Savanes area is a key link in trade corridors used for regional transit.

Officials argue that maintaining public order is necessary to reassure investors and ensure the continuity of essential services, including health and education.

Territorial Administration Minister Colonel Hodabalo Awaté said the additional powers granted under the measure would be exercised in strict compliance with the rule of law. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for review before final adoption.

R.E.D.

Lomé will host the 7th Scientific Days of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES) from March 9 to 12, 2026. Held under the auspices of the Council’s Presidency, the event is expected to bring together more than 1,000 participants, including ministers, academics and international experts from its 19 member states.

A key objective of the meeting is the adoption of a common research policy, according to the supervisory ministry. The initiative, first outlined in Bamako last January, aims to harmonize national strategies and reduce fragmentation in scientific research across the continent.

Created in 1968, CAMES seeks to narrow the region’s technological gap by pooling resources and academic expertise. Against a backdrop of intensifying global competition, the intergovernmental body aims to strengthen innovation as a driver of development and economic transformation.

The discussions will focus on resilience and inclusive development in Africa. The scientific programme features 981 papers, including 885 oral presentations and 96 posters, most of which will take place in person at the Palais des Congrès and the University of Lomé.

R.E.D

Togolese health authorities have announced a nationwide campaign to distribute free insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in the coming weeks, with preparatory meetings already under way in several districts.

The sessions bring together health officials and local organizing committees to coordinate logistics and community outreach, with the aim of ensuring full household coverage.

This year’s campaign will introduce a digital tracking system. Tablets will be used to record household data in real time, assigning each household a unique identifier to streamline distribution and improve monitoring.

Authorities have not yet disclosed how many nets will be distributed. Last year, they announced that 530,742 nets would be made available nationwide.

The campaign is part of broader efforts to combat malaria in Togo, including the September 2025 rollout of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine for children under five.

Esaïe Edoh

French firm ABN Engineering & Consulting will roll out integrated service centres in Togolese markets under a project called “Maisons de services.”

A memorandum of understanding was signed on Feb. 27, 2026, in Lomé by the company’s director, Nabil Abid, and Togo’s Minister of the Economy and Strategic Planning, Badanam Patoki. The agreement provides for the gradual conversion of selected markets into structured service platforms.

The company, which specialises in engineering, technical studies and industrial solutions, plans to install modern equipment to address transaction security, improve the preservation of agricultural goods and tackle shortages of reliable weighing devices.

The pilot phase will begin at Adidogomé market in Lomé and at Djidzenou market. Each site will host a service centre of about 250 square metres.

The centres will be equipped with certified digital scales, multi-product mills, bagging machines and refrigerated containers to extend the shelf life of fresh produce. They will also include training rooms to help traders and producers improve business practices.

The government says the project will help formalise market activity, raise incomes for traders and ensure fairer, more transparent transactions. It forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of local trade and modernise market infrastructure. The initiative is backed by France’s Private Sector Study and Aid Fund (FASEP), a financing mechanism that supports French companies involved in major development projects abroad.