Togo First
APRODAT and Saemaul launch multiple initiatives to get Kara’s population to adapt to the sagropole project
The people of Kara will soon benefit from government-led initiatives, to improve the health sector in the region.
The initiatives will be specifically implemented by the national agropole development agency (APRODAT) and the South Korean foundation, Saemaul. They aim to better help communities in Kara adapt to the agricultural hub (‘agropole’) which is being established there.
APRODAT and Saemaul, let’s note, are the two partners on the nationwide project. The two have recently started campaigns to sensitize local communities about the huge agro-food project and its impact on their lifestyle.
Séna Akoda
Togo : A forum for agricultural businesses will be held on Jan 21-22
On January 21-22, there will be a forum for agricultural entrepreneurs.
On the occasion, 1,000 of these entrepreneurs will be pre-selected to take part in a training workshop baptized “Camp du Futur.” Out of these, 500 candidates -with the best business plans for their projects - will get incubated.
Next, 150 of them will get financial and technical support over a one-year period.
Séna Akoda
Oragroup joins ETI among BRVM’s top 10 performers
Oragroup recently became one of the top 10 most dynamic firms listed on the BRVM - West Africa’s regional stock market. The news was disclosed by the stock market after its quarterly review of its stock indexes.
Thus, the bank joins others like Total SN, CIE, CI, and becomes the second company based in Lomé, besides Ecobank, to be on the list.
Here are, in order, BRVM’s top 10 perfomers:
- ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED TG - ETIT
- SONATEL SN - SNTS
- SOCIETE GENERALE CI - SGBC
- TOTAL SN - TTLS
- ONATEL BF - ONTBF
- ECOBANK CI - ECOC
- TOTAL CI - TTLC
- CIE CI - CIEC
- ORAGROUP TG - ORGT
- SOCIETE IVOIRIENNE DE BANQUE - SIBC
Let’s recall that the BRVM Composite, and the BRVM 10, are the BRVM’s top two indexes. The second is reviewed four times a year.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
200 local community actors are being trained to better tackle coastal erosion in Togo
Over a two-year period, 200 community actors of the maritime region will be taught innovative practices for sustainable land management. The ministry of environment, sustainable development and nature’s protection will be in charge of the training.
A selection notice was issued to recruit beneficiaries.
The training, let’s indicate, is part of the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA ResiP), which is backed by the World Bank. The project aims to help those living in West African coastal areas, Togolese people, in this case, better tackle coastal erosion, sea pollution, and related issues.
Let’s recall that in the framework of the WACA ResIP, the World Bank and the Ministry of environment signed contracts to develop 11 community projects last November. In addition to these parties, civil society organizations and prefectural commissions for sustainable development were also among signees.
Also, let’s note that the World Bank has so far spent more than XOF1.5 billion in various projects in Togo.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Health: According to Global Fund, Togo better manages its subsidies than most countries in West and Central Africa
Compared to most other West African nations, Togo better manages subsidies provided by Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
According to a report recently released by the Fund, 30% of subsidies secured by the country since January 2018 ($73.2 million) had been disbursed at June 2019.
The major recipient of the monies is the Project Management Unit (UGP) which is overseen by the Prime Minister’s office. The funds are injected into three health programs, all led by the ministry of health.
R.E.D
FC Barcelona will open its fourth academy, in Togo!
The news was announced by Claude Emmanuel Ajavon, partner of the football club during the second training course FC Barcelona organized in Togo. The latter ended on December 30, 2019.
Togo will be the fourth African nation where the club will have an academy. The other three being Egypt, Nigeria, and Zambia. FC Barcelona has 32 training academies all around the globe.
“This is a major achievement, both for Togo and Africa, especially given that a legendary club such as FC Barcelona always picks countries where it will open its academies with the utmost care,” Ajavon said.
Let’s indicate that the academy will have a main facility in Lomé, the capital, and others in other towns. Local players, as well as coaches, will receive training at the academy.
R.E.D
Togo will seek XOF25 billion on UMOA-Titres market this month
In the last quarter of 2019, Togo performed no operation on the UMOA-Titres financial market.
Now, the country seeks XOF25 billion which it intends to raise on this market, by issuing fungible treasury bonds.
The operation which should close on January 17, is predicted to mature over a year, with multiple interest rates. Its corresponding nominal value is XOF1 million.
According to the associated tender, the value date is January 20.
Funds raised by issuing the bonds will be used to finance Togo’s 2020 State budget. Moreover, it will help Togo assess how well it is trusted by investors in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
Séna Akoda
Togo updates social action strategy, amid rising poverty
Last month, the ministry for social action, the promotion of women and literacy, updated the national social action strategy (PNAS). This was at a validation workshop organized with the support of partners such as UNICEF.
The update aims at tackling the poverty level, which has risen in Togo over the last decade, as well as foster decentralization. It aligns with the national development plan’s third axis (focused on social improvements).
According to the general directorate for social action: “Many projects fall under the updated strategy, all of which are similar to those planned in the framework of the national development plan.” Such projects include the social security net systems and the money transfer project for vulnerable populations.
The document, let’s emphasize, however, still has to be adopted by the ministers’ council before being effective.
R.E.D
Lomé to soon get a manual to better monitor, physically, State investments
Togo will soon get a manual on investments made by the State, public institutions and communities.
The document will explain “how authorities evaluate, monitor the use of financial, technical, and human resources, as well as results produced, and their efficiency in relation to set goals and deadlines.”
The advisor in charge of producing the manual will define processes, roles, and tasks of concerned parties, based on physical assessments of public investment programs and projects. They will also develop tools to collect on-field data, in addition to submitting a report template for the physical evaluations’ results, and a harmonized method to assess completion rates of the projects.
The manual, it should be noted, aims to support the government’s efforts to improve economic governance.
Séna Akoda
Togo works on a law to regulate weapon trafficking and use
In Lomé, the CNLPAL and the European Union are currently holding a four-day workshop to produce a roadmap - that will subsequently yield a bill - to better control and monitor light weapons in Togo. The workshop started yesterday, January 6, 2019.
Mainly, participants of the meeting will expand on good practices in use at the global level, relative to weapon control. This, in addition to studying the projected bill.
Regarding the latter, it focuses on the exportation and importation, transit, transhipping, and brokering of arms. Moreover, the draft bill also aims to regulate and monitor weapons’ whole lifecycle, from manufacturing to disposal. The document will thus include laws on carrying and transfer.
The CNLPAL is the national commission in charge of preventing the proliferation, circulation, and illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons.
R.E.D