Last week, PROMECO, a project that aims to boost local economy by supporting agricultural and agropastoral activities, was launched in Tabligbo, in the Yoto prefecture (Southern region).

The project benefits from a FCFA100 million financing (spreading over two years) provided by the Tabligbo municipality and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), among others. It will initially profit six pilot villages, boosting local consumption and diversifying sources of financing.

PROMECO is a local component of OIF’s program to “integrate SDGs in regional, national and local policies and strategies”. The latter’s goal is to improve farmers’ yields and ensure the adoption of environment-friendly agricultural practices.

Besides, it includes many aspects such as boosting processing of local products, making food products more available and teaching local communities about project management.

It must be outlined that the project will focus on cassava, fishing and vegetable production. Under its implementation, semi-modern processing units will be set up for each of these sectors.  

Séna Akoda

To tackle the significant decline of landline services in the country, spurred by mobile’s emergence, Togo Telecom decided to apply a single monthly tariff for landline calls.

From now on, all landline users, except major companies and the public administration, will be able to pay CFA4720 monthly to call each other; regardless of consumption levels. 

Through this move which will be effective starting September 3, Togo Telecom wishes to boost landline services, as they struggle against mobile services.

The recent decision is part of a series of measures undertaken by the public operator to become more competitive, providing its services at a lower cost. To the same end, Togo Telecom will merge with mobile operator Togocel, its first rival in the voice segment.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

Togo and Ghana will soon connect their customs IT systems, in the framework of the First Port Duty Project.

Initiated by the Ghana Revenue Authority, this project aims to better secure customs transactions. In effect, it will help improve customs controls and ease data exchange between both countries’ customs services.

To speed up the project’s implementation, a joint committee will be set up. This was revealed after a meeting between the concerned parties on August 16, at the headquarters of the Togolese Revenue Office – OTR.

Besides interconnecting the two neighbors’ customs IT systems, First Port Duty will require physical collaboration between both administrations. It is a major milestone in their fight against tax fraud which, according to recent data, cost Ghana significant sums.

Octave A. Bruce

The President of the Arab Parliament, Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salmi, urged Togolese authorities, as well as those of Romania and Honduras to reconsider their decision to move their respective embassies to Jerusalem.

According to Bahrain News Agency, the AP president, in a letter addressed to the three nations’ parliaments, asked them to comply with the UN resolutions, adopted on December 21, 2017, which “oppose any encroachment on the historical and legal status of the occupied city”.  

Al-Salmi warned that any measure aimed at changing Al-Quds (Jerusalem)’s status would have no legal impact and will be null and void.

Let’s recall that on December 21, 2017, nine countries, including Togo, voted against the United Nations’ resolution to condemn US’ decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

Keras Resources will at last commence its 10,000 tonne bulk sampling metallurgical testwork program at the Nayega Manganese Project in the Kpendjal prefecture, in northern Togo.

The AIM-listed British firm is active on the project through its subsidiary Société Générale des Mines SARL (SGM). The latter which detains 85% of the project, announced in a statement released last Wednesday that it has reached a major milestone in its development.

Keras appointed as head of the project Graham Stacey. Stacey before that was Project Head at Keaton Energy Holdings. He was also director at Chromex Mining and Venmyn Rand; and spent eight years at Anglo American.

In its statement, the mineral resource company further indicated that Stacey would collaborate with CMTP, a local firm specialized in quarry management, mining, extraction and logistics, to plan the program.

Keras revealed it signed a deal with South African firm Appropriate Process Technologies (APT), in the framework of the project. APT will, under agreed terms, build a bulk sampling factory, as well as deliver  equipment needed for the program. The latter should be available soon for operations to begin next August 27.

The bulk sampling program will, according to estimations, cost $1.5 million, and should be completed mid-January, next year.

The Nayega project is an open-pit, low-capex project. It covers an area of 92,390 ha and hosts a deposit that is 2.2 km long and 500 m large, with an average depth of 3.3 m.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

From September 2-10, Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé will be visiting China in the framework of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum (Focac), to discuss ways to broaden the nation’s cooperation with the Asian giant.

First, the Head of State will attend a high-level dialogue with his Chinese counterpart and the business community in Beijing, where the forum will be held from September 3-4. A round table is also planned.

Next, Gnassingbé will attend on September 5, hearings with Chinese financial and state institutions, including China Merchant Group, which is active in maritime, financial and real estate sectors. Meetings with managers of Eximbank of China (which is very active in Togo) and China Development Bank as well as the Managing Director of BRICS Bank are also planned.

Following hearings which are set to end September 6, a bilateral meeting between the two Heads of State will notch the Togolese president’s stay in the Chinese capital.

The next place, Zhiejan which is the country’s fourth-largest economic province, will witness the signing of a strategic partnership. This agreement is expected to attract Chinese investors, an important move in the implementation of the National Development Plan (PND). In addition, Faure Gnassingbé will meet with Jack Ma, the province’s Governor and CEO of Alibaba, the global e-commerce giant.

Let’s mention that Gnassingbé will lead works of the Business Forum organized by Togo. About thirty companies operating in the PND’s strategic sectors are invited. A visit to companies such as Alibaba, Hangzou Economic & Technological Development Area and others will conclude his stay in Zhiejan Province.

The Togolese presidential delegation will finally visit Guangdong province, China's 8th largest economic province, where it will establish partnerships in textile sectors.