Togo First
Togo: 1,639 boreholes will be rehabilitated, starting this month
All over the country, 1,639 damaged boreholes equipped with manual pumps, will be rehabilitated, starting this month. The announcement comes from the ministry of water, rural equipment and hydraulics (MEERHV).
The boreholes were identified during an assessment of boreholes and small scale systems for drinking water distribution in rural and semi-urban areas.
Rehabilitation of the boreholes, according to the minister of water, should improve the lives of rural people by improving their access to drinking water. It falls under the Vulnerable Populations Support Program (PAPV), under its ‘Water and Sanitization’ segment.
Still, to improve populations’ living standards, Togolese public authorities created a mobile platform enabling them to have continuous access to drinking water. The initiative falls in the framework of the SOFIE project (Project for the Monitoring of Boreholes and Water Indicators).
In 2017, let’s recall, 1,559 boreholes were rehabilitated.
Séna Akoda
BCEAO launches call for submissions of projects for 2020 Abdoulaye Fadiga Prize
The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) has launched a call for submissions of projects for its 2020 Abdoulaye Fadiga Prize. The initiative grants a XOF10 million funding to a researcher or team of researchers from any of the eight WAEMU States (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo).
Limit age for applicants is 45 years (at December 31, 2018).
This year, topics of interest include monetary and financial sector analysis, study of macroeconomic issues related to public finances, public debt and coordination between monetary and budgetary policies, issues related to regional economic integration, study of challenges related to employment, economic growth and price stability in developing countries.
The prize, let’s recall, rewards original projects, related to the monetary and financial sectors and have a scientific interest for WAEMU States and the BCEAO.
Deadline for submissions: July 31, 2020
UN systems representatives from Togo and Benin meet in Lomé to discuss common trans-border issues
Actors of the UN systems, in Togo and Benin, are holding a joint retreat in Lomé today, Sept. 16, 2019. Through this meeting, a first of its kind, the institution aims at boosting support to its government partners in both countries, amid trans-border challenges, knowingly security and emigration, which they face.
The retreat, according to the UN system’s representative in Togo, Damien Mama, is an occasion to “better understand challenges, share positive experiences and agree on a series of actions to better support States responsible for tackling these challenges.”
In detail, actors present will explore collaboration opportunities, assess common challenges, identify joint measures and projects to undertake, and also share good practices. All these are to ultimately reinforce the implementation of the 2030 agenda, relative to key development priorities in Togo and Benin.
The meeting was opened by Togo’s minister of foreign affairs, Robert Dussey. On this occasion, the diplomat emphasized on the fact that actions taken should be responsible and ethical, in order to better tackle trans-border challenges.
Togolese women among Top 50 finalists for the 2019 Africa Netpreneur Prize
Over the fifty finalists selected for the 2019 Africa Netpreneur Prize initiative, two Togolose women were selected.
They are namely, Aimée Abra Tenu Lawani, promoter of the Kari Kari soap, and Ahoefa Allah-Assogba, founder of Togossime, an e-commerce platform that deals in made-in-Togo products.
The next step, to get closer to winning the prize, for the two entrepreneurs is to be among the top 10 finalists. The winning “netpreneur” will get a $1 million grant, according to a statement relased by the Jack Ma foundation. The nine other finalists will also get a grant, of a lesser amount, and will have access to the community of African netpreneurs, benefiting from their expertise and learn about the best practices prevailing in this community.
The Africa Netpreneur Initiative is led by the Jack Ma foundation and its African partner Nailab, a Kenya-based business incubator founded by Kenyan Sam Gichuru. By 2030, the Jack Ma foundation should, under this program, grant $10 million to 100 young African entrepreneurs and women.
For this edition, about 10,000 applications were submitted.
Séna Akoda
Mandela Washington Fellowship: Deadline for applications is October 9, 2019
Application to the upcoming Mandela Washington Fellowship was launched last week and will close on October 9, 2019.
This year, just like the previous one, 700 Africans will travel to the US in the summer of 2020 for six weeks. In the trip’s framework, beneficiaries will get theoretical and practical training on the three following themes: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Engagement, and Public Administration.
The fellowship aims at enabling young Africans to boost their leadership skills, in their community and respective domain of activity. They will also have the opportunity to explore a new environment, hence gaining more expertise. At the initiative’s pinnacle is a global summit held in Washington D.C.
Last year, 10 young Togolese were selected for the fellowship.
Togo: IITRA to get a new quality control laboratory
In Agoè Cacaveli, Lomé, works are ongoing to build a modern quality control laboratory just beside the Togolese Institute for Agricultural Research (ITRA).
The information was disclosed to Togo First last Friday by a source at ITRA. “We are building a laboratory for more precise analysis, and quality control of agro-food products,” the source said.
Construction works which are expected to cost nearly XOF100 million will be financed by the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Initiative (PPAAO), the Youth Employment and Insertion Support Program (PAEIJ-SP) and the Risk-sharing-based Agricultural Financing Incentive Mechanism (MIFA).
The new laboratory will be equipped with the tools capable of delivering top standard services to public authorities and consumers. These tools, should, according to the same source, cost XOF200 million.
Séna Akoda
Togo: US embassy’s Emerging Voices Center recruits 12 tech entrepreneurs
In Togo, the US embassy through its Emerging Voices Center has launched a call for applications to select 12 young Togolese entrepreneurs with tech projects.
Six men and six women, 35-year old maximum, will be recruited and receive a two-month training combining theory and practical.
The Emerging Voices Center’s purpose is to support professional training, education, and networking and boost professional skills of young entrepreneurs. The center wich is located at the US embassy was recently renovated in line with the embassy’s goal to foster growth of the local economy, by supporting youth-led initiatives.
Séna Akoda
IMF, for the second time this year, scales up its forecast for Togo’s economic growth
For the second time this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has scaled up its growth forecast for the Togolese economy.
From 5% to 5.1% in March, the Bretton Woods institution now projects the figure at 5.3% by the end of the year.
“After considerable slowing in 2017 amid socio-political tensions, economic activity regained momentum in 2018 and maintained this momentum throughout the first half of 2019. Economic growth should slightly accelerate, from 4.9% in 2018 to 5.3% in 2019,” recently declared Ivohasina Fizara Razafimahefa, head of the IMF delegation which was in Lomé between August 28 and September 10, in the framework of the fifth review of Togo’s economic performance under a program supported by an Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement.
The IMF lauds “the significant budgetary efforts started in 2017” and “sustained till end-June 2019.” It also declared satisfactory the country’s debt collection level and overall expenditures which were lower than expected.
“If current policies are sustained in the second half of 2019, Togo will be meeting, for the third consecutive year, WAEMU’s 3% standard for the budget deficit to GDP ratio,” adds the mission while also praising the Gnassingbé government for improving its business climate.
“Pursuing efforts in this area [Ed note: business climate] will be key to achieving goals set under the national development plan and help foster inclusive economic growth.”
Taking this into account, the IMF forecasts economic growth at 5.5% in 2020 (0.1% less than the government’s projection). Let’s recall that Togo eyes an economic growth of 7.6% by 2022.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
FAIEJ’s Managing Director is the invited guest for the sixth edition of Innov’Up Coach
As part of the INNOV’UP Togo program to coach young entrepreneurs, the businesswomen entrepreneurship centre will receive on September 20, 2019, Sahouda Gbadamassi-Mivedor (photo), managing director of the Support Fund for Youth-led Economic Initiatives (FAIEJ).
The meeting, which marks the sixth edition of “Innov’Up coach,” will focus on experience sharing and on this occasion FAIEJ’s head will tell an audience of young entrepreneurs about the path she followed to get to her actual position. Attendance to the event is free, but prior registration is requested.
“Innov’up Coach” is an initiative which is aimed at inspiring young entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs by “providing them with a global picture of all aspects of entrepreneurship,” says Candide Leguede, National Coordinator of the program. More precisely, it brings on stage a successful entrepreneur, man or woman, who relates his or her story.
The invited guest at the previous edition was Laurent Tamegnon, MD of the Company in charge of administrating Togo’s free-trade zone, who also happens to be chairman of the national employers’ council.
Séna Akoda
UMOA-securities: Togo aborts its next issuance of fungible treasury bonds
Togo has cancelled its upcoming issuance of fungible treasury bonds of the UMOA-securities market. This was disclosed by the regional debt planning agency.
Indeed, in a statement released Sept 11, UMOA-securities “informs investors of the Union (WAEMU) that the State of Togo has decided to abort the issuance of fungible treasury bonds, with a maturity period of 364 days for an amount of fifteen (15) billion CFA francs.”
Proceeds of the operation which was to occur on September 20, 2019, were to be used by the Togolese public treasury to finance part of the country’s budget for this year.
Let’s recall that Togo’s debt presently stands at 70% of its GDP, according to official data. The figure is forecast at 73% by end-2019.
Séna Akoda