Togo First
Covid-19: Lomé’s airport will be equipped with a mobile laboratory for testing travelers
In Togo, the Gnassingbé Eyadema International airport (AIGE) is taking various measures to restart activity soon.
Among these is a mobile laboratory where all arriving and departing travelers will be tested for Covid-19. This was recently revealed in a press briefing organized by the Covid-19 response team (CNGR).
“It is imperative to restart economic activities,” the CNGR said. “In this framework, major changes are taking place at the Gnassingbé Eyadema International airport, in preparation for the reopening of our borders,” the coordinating team added.
Let it be noted that the air sector is one of the most impacted by the current pandemic. In the WAEMU, air traffic fell by 95% (and the AIGE turned to freight and cargo transport).
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has recently recommended systematic testing of travelers, compulsory mask-wearing at airports and on flights, as well as frequent disinfection of planes, among safety measures to follow for restarting air transport. Togo’s efforts thus align with these measures.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Minister of water to drill 400 new boreholes, rehabilitate 200 old ones, in Kara and Savanes regions
Over the next months, access to water in the Kara and Savanes regions will be improved. The ministry of water, rural equipment, and hydraulics (MEERHV) is planning to drill 400 boreholes, and rehabilitate 200 more, in these two regions.
In this framework, the ministry has opened a tender for enterprises interested in carrying out these works. The tender has been divided into two lots involving respectively the installation of 200 new boreholes (equipped with manual pumps) and the rehabilitation of 100 old boreholes.
Let it be recalled that between 2005 and 2019, 3,200 boreholes were rehabilitated and 5,000 new ones dug. As a result, the rate of access to drinking water in rural areas has risen from 21% to 69% over the period. In the same period, the number of branches of Togo’s water utility, Togolaise des Eaux (TDE), increased from 23 to 53.
Séna Akoda
“In the coming days, banks will finance the agricultural sector more” -Kossi Ténou, BCEAO national director
The Togolese government is keeping up with initiatives to increase financing to the agricultural sector. Last Wednesday, top officials from the ministries of finance and agriculture met with managing directors of credit institutions operating in the country in this framework.
The meeting, which was held in Lomé, aimed at finding ways to substantially increase the contribution of the lenders to agriculture, as well as bank loans.
According to figures published in 2019, the sector gets only 0.2% of bank loans; this is despite employing 38% of the population and generating 23% of Togo’s GDP. According to Kossi Ténou, the national director of the BCEAO, “banks are making some effort, but it is still insufficient considering the huge needs of the agricultural sector.”
Hence, this year, XOF50 billion should be mobilized- with the support of banks- for the agricultural sector, actors gathered at the reunion decided. “In the coming days, banks will finance the agricultural sector more,” Ténou commented.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
MIFA plans to mobilize XOF50 billion this year for the agricultural sector
In 2020, the Agricultural Financing Incentive Mechanism (MIFA), which is based on risk-sharing, intends to mobilize XOF50 billion for the Togolese agricultural sector.
This was revealed by MIFA’s managing director, Aristide Agbossoumonde, after a meeting between the State and lending institutions which focused on increasing loans to the agricultural sector.
“In 2019, we helped finance the sector with XOF8 billion but in 2020, we have bigger ambitions,” he said. “Presently, our portfolio amounts to XOF26 billion.”
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo adopts bill to regulate the use of nuclear energy
On June 4, 2020, the Togolese assembly adopted a bill regulating the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technology by the country. This was during the sixth plenary session of the assembly, under its first ordinary session for the year.
“Nuclear safety is a collective priority and Togo has always worked to ensure more safety within its borders,” declared Yawa Djigbodi Tsègan, president of the national assembly.
With the adoption of the new bill, Togo becomes one of the countries “adhering to the treaty against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.” The move will also help the nation consolidate and diversify its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“Moreover, nuclear technology can greatly contribute to key areas such as sustainable development, health treatment, nutrition, agriculture,” added the president of the parliament.
Séna Akoda
WAEMU borders will be reopened in a concerted manner, ministers of transport announce
The WAEMU’s eight-member States want to reopen their border (land, air, and sea) as soon as possible, in a concerted way. However, no date has been picked in this regard.
This was disclosed last week (May 28th) after a videoconference between the Union’s ministers of transport.
During the meeting, El Hadj Omar Youm, Senegal’s minister of transport said there would “certainly be a plan to restart activities, a plan for a concerted restart between all WAEMU member States. There will surely be concertation phases to help us gradually fully reopen borders,” he added.
The reopening of borders would only take place once the Union contains the pandemic. So far, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire are the most affected members of the WAEMU, with respectively 3,886 and 2,951 confirmed cases. For Togo, it has confirmed 443 cases at the moment.
Also, it should be recalled that the pandemic has caused the region’s air traffic volumes to plunge by 95%.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
EU disburses the first tranche of 2019-2020 budget support for Togo
The European Union (EU) has provided Togo the first tranche of the €9.5 million (XOF6.2 billion) committed to the West African country under its 2019-2020 budget support.
The monies should mainly be used to handle the health and economic emergency resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These funds, which are directly transferred to the public treasury, will add to resources needed for the government’s response against the pandemic,” declared Demba Tignokpa, minister of planning and cooperation. This response, he recalled, includes the Novissi cash transfer scheme, free water and electricity for the poorest, and requisitioning hotels where suspected cases are quarantined.
In the coming days, credible sources indicate, another tranche of €7.5 million should be provided to Lomé by the EU.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Schools to soon reopen in Togo
Previously closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, schools in Togo are about to be reopened.
The Togolese ministry of technical education, training, and professional insertion recently called, in an official note, actors of the education sector to “prepare for the upcoming reopening of schools” in the country.
The actors, “inspectors, directors, and all teachers and administrative staff, must in effect take necessary precautions to be back at work on June 3, 2020,” ahead of the restart of classes.
According to some unofficial sources, the latter is set to take place on June 8, 2020, with examination classes reopening first.
One of the major issues that will be faced in the process of reopening schools in Togo is ensuring that safety measures are respected in a context where the Covid-19 is still present.
To date, Togo has officially confirmed 443 cases, including 215 who recovered, and 13 deceased.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: More than 20,000 people tested for Covid-19
As part of its response against the Covid-19, Togo has exceeded on 31 May 20,000 tests. This is as a result of a recent strategy adopted by Lomé to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Three months after recording its first case, the country has tested 20,500 people and confirmed 443 cases. Out of these, 215 recovered and 13 are deceased.
It should be emphasized that the government is currently relaxing restrictive measures. For example, the curfew put in place at the beginning of April was gradually reduced and now goes from 10 PM to 5 AM. Also, schools are expected to reopen very soon, authorities have indicated.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togolese Authorities launch process to acquire and install five traffic counters
Through its ministry for development planning, the government of Togo has initiated the process to acquire and install five (5) traffic counters.
According to the associated tender notice, the counters will be acquired and installed as part of the project to boost the competitiveness of logistics services for trade in Togo. This equipment will be supplied to the Railways and Road Transport Directorate (DTRF).
Once installed, the data gathered using the counters will serve to carry out a road traffic study and categorize vehicles used in the country (light, motor, heavy).
The counters could also be useful to undertake a general survey on mobility and transport habits of people. The main purpose here would be to identify overused roads and anticipate issues that may arise on such roads.
Data collected will also help in decision-making and evaluate traffic state across the country.
Séna Akoda