Togo First
Covid-19: Togo has spent CFA107 billion so far to fight the pandemic
To date, Togo has spent a little more than CFA107.5 billion to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. This was recently reported by the ministry of economy and finances.
This amount breaks into CFA22.8 billion (21%) for measures to tackle the pandemic, CFA32.4 billion (30%) to help populations cope with the crisis, notably through social support projects like the Novissi universal income scheme, free water and electricity for the poorest.
Most importantly, actions to restart the economy amid the pandemic captured CFA52.2 billion from the government. This represents more than 48% of spending disbursed in relation to the pandemic..
Let’s recall that by December 15, 2020, Togo had mobilized CFA173 billion for its National Fund for Solidarity to fight the pandemic. Of this amount, CFA3.2 billion were raised by the local and international private sector, while about 170 billion came from Togo’s financial partners.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
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Togo adopts new plan to fight avian flu
Togo recently adopted a new strategy to fight avian flu. Co-validated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the new mechanism was discussed with actors of the poultry sector last week.
The discussions came after the ministry of agriculture announced the ban of poultry imports from six European countries hit by the flu.
In detail, the strategy consists of reinforcing biosecurity on poultry farms, across Togo’s five regions. The latter, it should be recalled, recorded five consecutive avian flu outbreaks between 2017 and 2018.
Togo aims to triple its poultry meat output to 60,000 tons.
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Olam and AFC look to build Lomé-Cinkasse highway
Through its subsidiary Arise, the Singaporean Olam expressed its intention to build the Lomé-Cinkassé highway in partnership with the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). This was disclosed last Friday by Togo’s minister of finance, Sani Yaya, in a meeting with the parliament for the adoption of the 2021 budget.
An MoU of cooperation to conduct related studies and build the highway has already been signed with the Togolese government, Yaya said. The estimated cost for the 700-km road exceeds $600 million (over CFA330 billion). One of the flagship projects of the National Development Plan (PND), it should ensure traffic fluidity, reduce cost and time of travel on the corridor, and subsequently improve the competitiveness of the Autonomous Port of Lomé.
It should be noted that the AFC, together with Arise, recently started building the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA) for an investment of nearly 140 billion CFA francs. Two years ago, Togo became the 12th West African country to join the Corporation.
Covid-19: Togo imposes new curfew to curb propagation risk ahead of end-of-year festivities
In Togo, the curfew started on December 20 will last until January 3, 2021. It extends from 10 PM to 5 AM GMT throughout the period, except for December 24, 25, 31, and January 1 when it will begin at 11 PM and end at 5 AM.
The decision, officially announced on December 18 by the national coordination for the Covid-19 response management (CNGR), was made on the recommendation of a scientific council in charge of handling the virus.
Along with the curfew, bars will be closed over the period concerned. As for places of worship, only those that already have the authorization to operate will remain open (on Sundays only for churches and Fridays for mosques).
To date, Togo has reported 3,330 cases of Covid-19. These include 374 positive cases undergoing treatment, and 66 deaths (thus 8 deaths per million inhabitants). The first case, let’s recall, was reported nine months ago.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Golfe 3 municipality partners with Rabat municipality to promote sustainable development
The Golfe 3 municipality, in Togo, and the Rabat municipality, in Morocco, signed last Friday a partnership and cooperation agreement to mutually share experiences, best practices, and train their administrative and technical staff.
The document, signed by Kamal Adjayi, mayor of the Togolese municipality, and Mohamed Sadiki, his counterpart of Rabat, covers urban management (management of housing and urban living environment), local governance (management of communities at the local and regional level), circular economy and sustainable development. Education and youth promotion are also among the priorities of the two municipalities.
More specifically, the partnership will cover schooling, with emphasis on building literacy and learning centers, as well as initiating exchange programs between the University of Lomé and the universities of Rabat). Social actions (poverty alleviation programs) for the benefit of the population will also be promoted.
Séna Akoda
Cofina and BOAD team up to back SMEs with environmental and social impact
Cofina Group, the African financial institution based in Côte d'Ivoire, partnered with the West African Development Bank (BOAD) to support SMEs with high environmental and social impact in the WAEMU region, over the next five years. This was recently revealed in a press release issued by Cofina.
In effect, the two partners will finance projects aimed at improving access to electricity in West Africa and the Sahel (through the deployment of autonomous solar kits and off-grid systems). As part of the new partnership, a refinancing line of CFA5 billion will first be made available to Cofina’s Ivorian subsidiary.
“It is a great source of pride for the Cofina Group to sign a partnership of this size with a prestigious institution such as the BOAD,” said Jean-Luc Konan, CEO of the firm which started operating in Togo this year.
For the BOAD, the partnership translates its growing interest in supporting energy transition and environmental protection. Incidentally, in Togo, the Bank is exploring avenues of partnership with the African Biofuel and Renewable Energy Company (SABER -ABREC), to finance renewable energy projects.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
WAGP: This was a good year for the gas transport industry in West Africa
Last Thursday, the committee of ministers of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) project met in Lomé to discuss operational aspects of the infrastructure through which natural gas is transported from producing countries (Nigeria, mainly) to countries that import the fuel (Benin, Ghana, and Togo).
The ministers discussed some reforms initiated under the project: tariff methodology, tax breaks, and matching technical regulations to global standards in place in the natural gas sector.
According to the director-general of the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA), Barandao Debo, 2020 “has been particularly fruitful, regarding gas transport.” Indeed, he added, “we have achieved records never reached before, and we have noticed that gas supply exceeded the demand of buying countries.”
The performance is mainly attributable to the fact that Ghana also started producing gas in 2019. This boosted the region’s output.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: 2020 practical guide for business officially launched
Yesterday, the 2020 Practical Guide for Business was launched in Lomé. The launching ceremony was attended by various business owners, representatives from different ministries, and the Director-General of Togo Invest.
According to Jean-Paul Agbo-Ahouelete, managing director of Focus Yakou and incidentally co-writer (with the Chamber of trade and industry of Togo - CCIT) of the 200-page document, it “provides investors or economic operators with information on the economic life of our country, as well as clear and precise answers to their concerns.”
Agbo-Ahouelete added that the document’s goal is to promote Togo as an investment destination, in an extremely competitive regional context. In this framework, the guide highlights the various structural reforms related to the business climate. For every investor, “the most important thing is to rapidly access useful, reliable, and precise information concerning the market they are entering.”
Divided into four parts - how to start a business, investment opportunities, factor costs, and practical innovations - the guide “is not a replacement to the advice given by law firms, notaries, and consulting firms nor is it a foresight analysis manual,” the head of Focus Yakou further observed.
During the launching ceremony, two roundtables were held. They were themed “What ambitions for the Adétikopé Industrial Platform, the Kékéli Thermal Power Plant and the Photovoltaic Power Plant in Togo?” and “Covid-19 crisis: opportunities for innovation in business, labor law, and social interactions.”
The two panels were hosted by eminent figures of Togo’s political and economic sphere. Such figures include Adjadi Bakari Shegun, Special Advisor to the President of the Republic for Energy, Ekue Mivedor, DG of Togo Invest, Eric Goulignac, CEO of Heidelbergcement Group’s companies in Togo, Alain Hountondji, CEO of ADKontact and Mr. Tiburce Monnou, a lawyer at the Court.
The panels were an occasion to assess progress made so far relating to the energy sector, the country’s ambitions, and adapting to the current context.
Séna Akoda
Procedures to obtain a construction permit in Grand Lomé fully digitized
It is now possible to pay application and deliverance fees for construction permits using mobile money services (T-Money and Flooz) and banking cards.
The decision, made by the Autonomous District of Grand Lomé (DAGL), aligns with reforms introduced by the government to improve cadastre and better tackle state-owned land issues.
In effect, the move aims to further dematerialize land procedures and save time for populations.
A key indicator of the Doing Business report, the construction permit is one of the areas where Togo has been performing best for some years, notably by focusing on digitalization.
In a few years only, the country has drastically reduced costs to draw up a parcel plan as well as reduced delays to issue the document, by opening a one-stop-shop for land registration.
Octave Bruce
OPEC Fund for International Development approves $50M financing to boost international trade with ECOWAS
Last Wednesday, the board of directors of the OPEC Fund for International Development approved at its headquarters in Vienna a $50 million financing to support international trade with West Africa.
The institution’s support comes as Africa, following a schedule validated last December 5th, prepares to launch next month the African free trade zone.
Besides West Africa, other countries that will benefit from the funds are The Gambia ($20 million), Madagascar ($15 million), Rwanda ($20 million), Sierra Leone ($15 million), Egypt ($30 million), and Uzbekistan ($75 million).
It should be recalled that the OPEC Fund for International Development was an important member of the consortium that financed the construction of the Lomé Container Terminal. The total cost of this project was €324 million.
Séna Akoda