Togolese authorities launched a campaign promoting the use of standard measuring tools by businesses on May 27. This is a nationwide campaign, but it currently spans from Tsévié in the Maritime region to Atakpamé in the Plateaux region.

Organized by the Ministry of Investment Promotion and the Ministry of Commerce, the campaign aims to encourage traders to adopt standard measuring tools for transactions. Participants also discussed competition policy and the advantages of using standard measuring tools.

Laré Arzouma Botre, representing the Minister of Investment Promotion, said it is important to end practices like selling in piles or traditional measuring bowls and adopt scales instead, which are more modern.

This awareness tour will extend to other regions of Togo, including the Central, Kara, and Savanes regions.

Esaïe Edoh 

Togo recently hosted a workshop aimed at improving the management and transparency of international arms trade, particularly in relation to the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The three-day meeting, which took place from May 28 to May 30, brought together 35 staff members from ATT implementing agencies.

Representatives from the police, customs, armed forces, and forestry departments also attended the session. The goal was to enhance the skills of personnel involved in treaty implementation, with a focus on annual reporting obligations under Article 13 of the ATT.

According to Minister of Security and Civil Protection Calixte Madjoulba, the adoption and entry into force of the ATT in 2014 marked a significant step forward in international disarmament. The meeting was also seen as an opportunity to improve interagency cooperation and coordination, which are crucial for ensuring the regularity and effectiveness of reports.

The Court of Justice of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) currently hosts a sensitization session for Togolese judicial actors in Lomé. Started on May 28, the meeting ends on 31, 2024. It aims to clarify the legal and institutional framework of WAEMU, the Court’s competencies, and its applicable procedures.

The ongoing workshop aims to increase the Court's visibility. Indeed, many stakeholders are unaware of its attributions and this can hinder its effectiveness in supervising compliance with community law and treaties.

During the workshop, local judicial actors will learn about aspects such as the mechanism of prejudicial recourse and the role of national courts in the application of community law.

The Minister of Justice and Legislation, Mipamb Nahm-Tchougli, said that Togo's participation in the meeting will help the country benefit from the Court's expertise in various areas of law, including tax, customs, competition, banking, public procurement, and accounting. This, he added, will make it easier for the country to comply with community law and treaties.

Established in 1996, the Court of Justice of WAEMU has advisory and jurisdictional functions, thus strengthening the legal framework of the Union and contributing to the harmonization of judicial practices within the region.

Esaïe Edoh 

Togo has set a minimum 40-day grace period for containers in transit to Niger, effective June 1, 2024. This measure stems from recent discussions between Togolese authorities and Nigerien transporters on improving the Port of Lomé services.

The ministry responsible for maritime economy clarified that "shipping companies may, based on their tariff policies, apply a grace period longer than forty days, in compliance with prevailing competition rules." Minister Edem Tengue stated that this decision is part of ongoing maritime sector reforms to facilitate operations for landlocked countries at the Port of Lomé.

This decision complements other initiatives, such as the suspension of statistical fees on goods arriving by sea at the Port of Lomé and declared in transit to countries of the Alliance of the Sahel States (AES), including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

The ultimate goal of Togolese authorities is to enhance the competitiveness of the Port of Lomé and facilitate trade with landlocked countries.

Esaïe Edoh

The University of Lomé (UL) has established a China-UL Cooperation Cell to strengthen collaboration with the People's Republic of China. The initiative aims to foster ties with Chinese academic institutions and facilitate the exchange of researchers and students between the two countries.

Two weeks ago, a meeting between members of the CCCUL and the Chinese Ambassador to Togo discussed future collaboration opportunities. Professor Joseph Tsigbe, director of cooperation at UL and head of the cell, presented a detailed work plan outlining priority research areas and projects for the short and medium term.

Chinese Ambassador in Togo Chao Wedong expressed support for the initiative, recognizing the significance of educational cooperation as a cornerstone of China's soft power. He also shared insights on China's international policy and its engagement with Togo.

This collaboration is expected to lead to exchanges and joint projects that will benefit both the Togolese academic community and their Chinese counterparts.

Togo's South Plateaux Region recorded a remarkable 143% increase in cotton production for the 2023-2024 campaign, reaching 15,880 tons of seed cotton compared to 6,547 tons the previous year. This progress was shared at a workshop organized by the New Cotton Company of Togo (NSCT) in Notsè, which aimed to assess the season with cotton growers and Cotton Producer Groups (GPC).

According to stakeholders, the results crown the sustained efforts of the 16,658 cotton growers and the 616 GPCs' efficiency. Crops covered a total area of 16,658 hectares, with an average yield increasing from 698 kg/ha to 884 kg/ha.

Piyabalo Yaka, the regional director of agricultural production for the South Plateaux, attributed this success to effective coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and partners in the sector, aligned to increase national production to 225,000 tons by 2025.

The NSCT encouraged farmers to increase cultivated areas for the upcoming campaigns to consolidate this positive trend. However, challenges such as climate variability and soil infertility remain, as highlighted by Matinkawé Kpessakom, the regional president of cotton producers.

Togo's cotton production rose to 70,000 tons for the 2023-2024 campaign, a 50% increase compared to the previous year's 46,500 tons, after two consecutive years of poor performance.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé, Prime Minister of Togo, recently met with Hélèna Maria José Nosolini Embalo, the new President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (CCR-UEMOA). The women discussed the CCR's strategic orientations for the next three years.

During the meeting, held on May 23, Nosolini Embalo outlined her mandate's main challenges, including promoting community entrepreneurship, developing the private sector, and stimulating economic and social development within the UEMOA region. She emphasized the importance of government support to achieve these goals.

PM Tomegah-Dogbé expressed support for these initiatives, highlighting their significance in strengthening the competitiveness of the private sector and increasing regional trade.

The CCR-UEMOA was established in January 1994. It represents private sector actors across the Union. Its main mission is to ensure the private sector’s effective involvement in the Union's integration process.

Togo's Energy Minister, Mila Aziable, addressed the media in Lomé on May 25 regarding the current energy crisis and power supply issues. 

Aziable revealed the factors contributing to the crisis, including reduced electricity imports from Ghana due to maintenance work and decreased natural gas supply from Nigeria due to infrastructure repairs.

These, the official reported, have led to a significant reduction in electricity production and import capacity in Togo, resulting in unavoidable power outages. "We are experiencing an exceptional situation, marked by an energy supply deficit that has forced us to implement an electricity rationing plan," she stated.

The minister recommended various solutions to mitigate the crisis, such as diversifying energy sources, increasing domestic output, and optimizing consumption. These solutions, she claimed, should address the crisis’ effects in the short term and move Togo towards autonomy in the long term. "We are fully mobilized and doing everything in our power to quickly and sustainably resolve this situation," Mila Aziable said.

Togo is participating in joint military exercises with the Sahel Alliance (AES) countries, including Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad. In a complex security context marked by increasing terrorist activity in West Africa, the five countries launched a joint exercise named "Tarhanakale" near the Malian border in Tillia this week.

The initiative, announced by the Nigerien Ministry of Defense, is taking place at the Special Forces training center, funded by Germany and recently equipped by the United States. The training sessions, concluding on June 3, aim to strengthen the operational capacities of the AES armed forces, formed after Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso withdrew from ECOWAS.

For Togo, these exercises come in the context of combating the jihadist threat at its northern border. President Faure Gnassingbé recently called for a rethink of international and regional collaboration to better fight the terrorist challenge, particularly through a "new military cooperation organization" in West Africa.

The AES aims to consolidate a regional approach to terrorist threats while moving away from traditional French influence and turning towards new partnerships, including with Russia.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi