In line with its reform optimization strategy, Togo’s ministry of economy and finance will on August 27, proceed to a national review of public finance reforms implemented at end-June 2019.

Ahead of this review, the action plan for public finance management reform is currently being reviewed, in Lomé.

According to Aharh Kpessou Mongo, Permanent Secretary in Charge of Public Finance Reforms, “reviewing public finance reforms allows to assess revenues mobilized to implement public policies set under the State budget which contributes to the country’s development when well executed.” 

“After the first six months of 2019, this is a necessary exercise,” he added. In the long run, this should help take better measures for better results by the year’s end, in line with the 2019 work plans and annual budget validated at the beginning of the year. Every year, Togo carries out two reviewing sessions of its reforms.

At the start of this week, Togo’s ministry of health and public hygiene organized in Lomé a scientific debate on quality control of drugs in ECOWAS States.

This was in line with the 32nd anniversary of the West Africa Health Organization. The latter was created in Lomé, in 1987, to answer issues related to drug quality, and ensure regional coordination relating to health across the ECOWAS.

Since its establishment, the institution has provided 19 financial facilities, totaling more than XOF400 million.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Last Tuesday, Widezip, a new e-commerce platform was launched in Lomé, Togo.

This is a system that aims to ease online sales of businesses and individuals in the country.

Both the web and app-based platforms list SMEs and SMIs operating in many sectors ; offer online storage service ; sell and buy goods for professionals and individuals, as well as conduct import-export transactions, knowingly from and to the US, Europe, China and Dubai.

“We want to cover from Lomé to Cinkassé, and allow even those living in remote areas to have the same chances as those living in cities,” said Kossi Battah, CEO of the startup which was created in the US in 2016, before coming to Togo.   

Widezip, for its activity, leverages on the rapid democratization of smartphones in the country, paired with a growing number of internet users. The firm also counts on its partnership with more than 300 social media.

Let’s recall the company enters the Togolese market in a context where only 6.6% of the population made online purchases last year.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

At the beginning of this week, an information workshop was held on how to fight fall armyworms in Togo. Present at the session were field agents of the Technical Support and Council Institute (ICAT), which is affiliated to the ministry of agriculture, and some leading producers.

The workshop aimed at teaching how to, using recent technology, detect and fight the worms which feed on maize, rice, sorghum, sugar cane, vegetables and cotton. For example, it was revealed at the meeting that a new app integrating AI is used to detect the pest.

This workshop is planned to be carried out all over the country and is backed by the FAO and the African Development Bank (AfDB). Let’s recall that in 2019, Togo received a grant of $1 million from both institutions, to fight fall armyworms.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Started yesterday, the second edition of the permanent investigation on services trading (EP-CIS 2) will end Today, August 21. 

Steered by the national institute of statistics, economic and demographic studies (INSEED), the operation aims at setting up a database listing all international services transaction, and falls in line with a project to gather data on international services trading in WAEMU States. 

It is also backed by the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Various types of services are concerned by the investigation, including processing, assembling, labelling and input packaging. According to Koamé Kouassi, director general of INSEED, “data collected under the EP-CIS 2 will cover importation and exportation of services by types and partnering country. It will be used in the framework of market studies, preparing and monitoring macroeconomic data as well as economic research and analysis.”   

The first edition of the investigation, which was conducted throughout the month of October 2018, helped identify 349 firms active in the services sector.

Séna Akoda

Only one Togolese out of three has heard of climate change. This was revealed in a survey conducted by Afrobarometer over the 2016-2018 period.

According to the study which covered 33 African countries and assessed how Africans perceive climate change and its impact on humanity, one out of three Togolese (36%) associate climate change with bad weather phenomenon (natural disasters, global warming, heavy rains and their devastating consequences).

While over half of the African population (63%) associate climate change with degrading weather conditions, in West Africa. Togolese are the second after Benin (37%) to believe this.

Over all the 33 nations surveyed, Mauritians, Gabonese and Ugandans are the most aware of the issue. The least informed are Tunisia, Liberia and Mozambique.

In Togo, still according to Afrobarometer, only 19% of the Togolese population, while establishing between climate change and bad weather conditions have not heard of measures to tackle or contain the phenomenon. This reflects efforts implemented by Togolese powers, their technical and financial partners and the civil society to tackle climate change and its effects. Among these is the Anti-Climate Change Programme (PALCC) which benefits from a €10 million funding; about half (€5.5 million) of this sum is distributed to NGOs and the Forest Exploitation and Development Office (ODEF) for community-oriented actions.

Togo, it should be emphasized, is one of the countries on the continent with the least share of the population that has not been sensitized about climate change and its consequences. Indeed, the average in Africa is 29%. Paradoxically, 45% of the Togolese population are not aware of climate change; a concerning figure but still below a peak of 69% in Africa and an average of 43%.

Séna Akoda

The Regional Agency for Food and Agriculture (ARAA), based in Lomé, has just launched a tender for the submission of projects falling under the West Africa Livestock Trading initiative.

Backed by the Swiss Cooperation, ARAA has $3 million for the project. Now, it seeks innovative projects that will contribute to the growth of husbandry and livestock trading in West Africa and Chad.

Interested actors have until August 25, to submit their applications.

Launched in September 2013, the ARAA is a technical institution of the ECOWAS operating in the agricultural sector.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

In Q1 2019, Togo exported 4,743 tons of cocoa, up 271% compared to the same period in 2018 (1,278 tons). Despite the significant increase, the country produced only 2,258 tons locally.

For coffee, Togo exported about 2.4 million kg of the beans during the first quarter of the year. This is 13% more than in 2018, according to the general office for economic studies and analyses of the ministry of finance and economy.

Looking at outputs over the two periods under the review, cocoa production was up while coffee slumped by 30%.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Launched by President Faure Gnassingbé, construction works for the Carrier Hotel, the future data center of Togo are advancing well with “foundations which are being completed,” according to APL France which claims the infrastructure “will be delivered next October.”

The building will host private servers and “the technology that will be used at the carrier hotel will make it one of the most performant data centers in West Africa, in terms of reliability, safety and quality,” said Togo’s minister of digital economy, Cina Lawson, at the first stone laying for the center.

Construction works are valued at XOF12.2 billion (€15.3 million) and expected to last 15 months, started January 2019.

Let’s recall that the construction of the Carrier Hotel falls under the West African Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (WARCIP-Togo).

Séna Akoda