Divisional Police Commissioner Babarime Akatao took office as the new Director General of the Togo’s National Police on November 12, 2024. The handover ceremony was held at the National Police Headquarters (DGPN) in Lomé and presided over by the Minister of Security, Calixte Batossi Madjoulba. Akatao replaces Colonel Yaovi Okpaoul, who has held the position since April 2019.

In his inaugural address, Akatao acknowledged the significant responsibilities that accompany his new role. “We are fully aware of the magnitude of this mission, an immense responsibility which requires not only unfailing commitment but also, above all, a clear vision and constant determination to achieve our objectives and protect our republican values.” he declared.

Babarime Akatao has a master’s degree in law, specializing in judicial careers, and another master’s in internal security. He trained at the Kpewa National Commando Training Center, graduated in 2005, and has occupied various positions within the police force since then. Before being appointed as Director General, he served as the central commissioner for the city of Lomé.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Taïrou Bagbiegue is the new Governor of Togo’s Maritime Region. Appointed on August 23, 2024, by President Faure Gnassingbé, Bagbiegue officially took office on November 12. The inauguration ceremony took place in Tsévié, the region's capital, and was attended by various political and traditional leaders.

Col. Awate Hodabalo, the Minister in charge of Territorial Administration presided over the ceremony. He underscored the challenges associated with administrative deconcentration, stating "Deconcentration remains a vast undertaking and a huge task. Each player must play his part alongside the government and the governor." 

In his address, Taïrou Bagbiegue highlighted the importance of harmonious cooperation among the decentralized services of various sectoral ministries. "From now on, we'll all have to work together to ensure the success of development projects initiated by the government and involving our region. It is my duty to ensure that this dynamic is a real strength, based as it is on trust, sharing, and cohesion. I am committed to sharing my experiences and initiatives with you," he remarked.

Bagbiegue previously held several high-profile roles, including Minister of Mines and Energy since 2012 and Minister of Technical Education, Training, and Professional Integration since 2020.

The week before he took over, Zouréhatou Kassah-Traoré was inaugurated as Governor of Greater Lomé. According to recent government announcements, three additional appointments are anticipated: Affoh Atcha-Dedji as governor of the Savanes region, Komlan Adjitowou in the Kara region, and Dadja Maganawé in the Plateaux region.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The U.S. Embassy in Togo launched its Public Diplomacy (PD) small grants program for 2025 on November 8. The embassy has opened a call for project proposals from interested organizations, with submissions accepted until July 31, 2025. This funding initiative is designed to support Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), think tanks, and both public and private educational institutions.

Successful projects will be financed, through grants, fixed-amount fellowships (FAA), or cooperation agreements with the U.S. Embassy in Togo. The financial backing for these initiatives will range from $10,000 to $25,000 per project, with a total budget of $60,000 allocated for the entire program.

Proposed initiatives must align with the embassy’s strategic themes, including peace and security, strengthening democratic institutions, and promoting economic growth and development. The projects can take various forms, such as academic conferences, professional seminars, artistic workshops, and academic exchanges, fostering diverse approaches to meet development and cooperation needs.

Earlier this week, Togo's government and the World Bank approved the 2025 work plan and budget for the country's social cohesion project in the northern regions of the Gulf of Guinea (CoSo). Details of the plan have not yet been disclosed but it aims to enhance regional collaboration to make border communities more resilient to climate and socioeconomic shocksimprove the socio-economic and climatic resilience of border communities. This decision follows satisfactory results from the project's implementation over the past two years, as reported by the steering committee during a meeting with Prime Minister Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé.

"After more than two years of implementation, we have all noted significant progress in the project's priority sectors. The sectors of education, energy, water, agriculture, grassroots development, and youth have been strongly impacted, mainly in the Savanes region, which accounts for 90% of the beneficiary cantons," said Prime Minister Tomégah-Dogbé.

According to Fily Sissoko, World Bank Resident Representative, "Togo has achieved the best results to date." This success is largely due to the opening of the Community and Refugee Support Window, which has helped mobilize $23 million in funding for vulnerable populations. 

The CoSo project aims to enhance regional collaboration and improve the socio-economic and climatic resilience of border communities in the northern Gulf of Guinea countries. The initiative has received an investment of CFA33 billion from the World Bank, along with nearly CFA14 billion in additional funding.

Esaïe Edoh

BB Lomé has appointed a new director general. Diogo Victoria has taken over from Thierry Feraud, who held the position for the past eight years. The handover ceremony took place on November 12, 2024. BB Lomé is Togo’s leading brewer, part of the French Castel group. 

Rose Kayi Mivedor, Togo's Minister of Trade, attended the ceremony and thanked Feraud for his years of service to BB Lomé. Other attendants included Jonas Daou, President of the Association des Grandes Entreprises du Togo (AGET), and Augustin Favereau, the French Ambassador to Togo.

Diogo Victoria brings over 15 years of experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. Before joining BB Lomé, he worked at Saudi Dairy & Foodstuff Company (SADAFCO), where he held several roles, including Director of Commercial Operations and Sales Director. He also worked with Lactalis Group as Director of Business Development for the Middle East and Africa.

BB Lomé has been operational for 60 years and employs approximately 1,200 people directly across its production sites, with an additional 6,000 jobs indirectly related to its operations.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

From January to September 2024, Côte d'Ivoire financed the Togolese economy with CFA513 billion. According to the latest data from the WAEMU Securities market, this amount represented 24.8% of Togo’s domestic debt holdings. Ivorian investors were closely followed by Senegalese and Togolese investors, with 22.7% and 22.8% shares, respectively, amounting to CFA472 billion and CFA469 billion. The three countries represent nearly 70% of Togo's public securities issuance.

Benin and Burkina Faso are behind these leaders, with outstanding amounts of CFA269 billion and CFA240 billion, 13% and 11.6% of the total. In contrast, other WAEMU countries like Mali, Niger, and Guinea-Bissau accounted for less than 5% combined. As of the end of October 2024, Togo's total outstanding debt to regional investors reached CFA2,074 billion.

This concentration of creditors primarily from Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo provides a stable source of financing for Lomé but also exposes the country to the economic conditions of these major economies and potential liquidity issues in their markets. The main holders of this debt include commercial banks, insurance companies, pension funds, and Sociétés de Gestion et d'Intermédiation (SGI). 

In Côte d'Ivoire, significant players include Société Générale Côte d'Ivoire, Banque Atlantique, Banque Nationale d'Investissement (BNI), and Ecobank. In Senegal, key investors are Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l'Industrie du Sénégal (BICIS) and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC), while in Togo, Orabank Togo, Ecobank Togo, and Coris Bank are notable holders in the public securities portfolio.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

Togo did not conduct any operation on the West African Economic Monetary Union (WAEMU) public securities market last month. Meanwhile, neighboring countries raised CFA659 billion on this market over the period to finance their budgets. 

Initially, Togo had planned to raise CFA15 billion through the market, but the operation did not occur. This month, also, Lomé postponed an issue scheduled for November 8, in which the country was to raise CFA22.5 billion.

Togo has raised CFA638.5 billion on the market so far this year–CFA449.96 billion in fungible treasury bills (BATs) and CFA188.53 billion in fungible treasury bonds (OATs). The country has continued to meet its financial obligations, repaying CFA507 billion so far this year, with an additional CFA15 billion due in November and over CFA65 billion due in December. 

Togo's outstanding debt on the WAEMU market currently stands at CFA2,074 billion, accounting for 12% of the region's total debt, making it one of the leading debtors in the zone.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

The University of Lomé (U.L) in Togo holds its first International Scientific Colloquium on the Blue Economy next week. The event will take place from November 19 to 21, 2024, under the theme "Issues, challenges and prospects of the blue economy in Africa." This colloquium is organized in partnership with various research units at the University of Lomé, particularly from the faculties of economics and human and social sciences.

The organizers aim to explore the opportunities that the blue economy presents for Africa, which has 38 coastal states, including Togo. They note that while there is "enormous potential," challenges such as climate change, pollution, and poor governance must be addressed.

The colloquium will gather members of the academic community, including researchers, teacher-researchers, and doctoral students. Papers presented at the event are expected to cover topics such as entrepreneurship in the blue economy sector, legal aspects of the blue economy, Blue Accounting, and Ocean Governance.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

This week, Togo is hosting the 10th annual review of reforms, policies, programs, and community projects of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). The session began on Monday, November 11, 2024, at the Hotel 2 février in Lomé and will last three days. Participants will review 132 regulatory texts and five community projects, valued at over CFA4 billion.

Akou Mawussé Afidenyigba, Director of Cabinet at Togo’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, opened the meeting, stating: "The review carried out in 2023 enabled us to note significant progress in the transposition and application of community reforms, with a reform implementation rate of 76% in Togo."

The WAEMU Conference of Heads of State and Government established this annual review in 2013 to accelerate the implementation of community reforms and policies aimed at strengthening regional integration.

This year’s discussions will focus on three main categories: economic governance and convergence, the common market, and sectoral policies. Additionally, new areas such as competition, freedom of movement, and the rights of liberal professions within the Community will be explored.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi