Togo First
Togo and Commonwealth Strengthen Ties in High-Level Meeting
A Commonwealth delegation held a working session with several Togolese officials yesterday, July 16, in Lomé. Patricia Scotland, secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations, led the European delegation.
The meeting focused on bolstering the Commonwealth-Togo partnership. Among others, participants covered Togo’s political and socio-economic context.
Togolese Prime Minister, Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé, was present. On the occasion, she lauded the Commonwealth’s support in education, training, and investment attraction. Tomegah-Dogbé also presented an overview of Lomé's efforts to improve security, stability, and social cohesion in Togo.
The PM brought up violent extremism–a scourge in West Africa–mentioning the recent terrorist attacks in northern Togo and efforts initiated to address them. She highlighted climate-related challenges and called for enhanced cooperation with the Commonwealth for the country's development.
Patricia Scotland praised Togo's progress and reaffirmed the Commonwealth's commitment to supporting the country. She stressed the need for effective judicial systems and acknowledged current global challenges, such as the war in Ukraine and climate change. "We are committed to working with you. We are honored to be your partner," she declared.
Yesterday, Scotland also met with Kodjo Adedze, President of Togo’s Assembly.
Togo joined the Commonwealth in 2022. Since then, it has gradually improved its relations with the multilateral organization, in a move to diversify its partnerships.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
A Commonwealth delegation held a working session with several Togolese officials yesterday, July 16, in Lomé. Patricia Scotland, secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations, led the European delegation.
The meeting focused on bolstering the Commonwealth-Togo partnership. Among others, participants covered Togo’s political and socio-economic context.
Togolese Prime Minister, Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé, was present. On the occasion, she lauded the Commonwealth’s support in education, training, and investment attraction. Tomegah-Dogbé also presented an overview of Lomé's efforts to improve security, stability, and social cohesion in Togo.
The PM brought up violent extremism–a scourge in West Africa–mentioning the recent terrorist attacks in northern Togo and efforts initiated to address them. She highlighted climate-related challenges and called for enhanced cooperation with the Commonwealth for the country's development.
Patricia Scotland praised Togo's progress and reaffirmed the Commonwealth's commitment to supporting the country. She stressed the need for effective judicial systems and acknowledged current global challenges, such as the war in Ukraine and climate change. "We are committed to working with you. We are honored to be your partner," she declared.
Yesterday, Scotland also met with Kodjo Adedze, President of Togo’s Assembly.
Togo joined the Commonwealth in 2022. Since then, it has gradually improved its relations with the multilateral organization, in a move to diversify its partnerships.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo Hosts 4th Scientific Days on HIV and AIDS, Focuses on Evidence-Based Interventions
In Togo, the 4th Scientific Days on HIV and AIDS ended on July 12 in Lomé. Organized by the Permanent Secretariat of the National Council for the Fight against AIDS and STIs, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, the event’s theme was "Building interventions from scientific evidence".
The meeting focused on drawing strategies and ways of improving health interventions in the management of pandemics, drawing on lessons learned from the national response in the post-COVID-19 context and the results of recent research carried out in Togo, the African sub-region, and around the world.
"To improve the quality of service delivery, stakeholders must have scientific evidence, and it is based on this evidence that robust interventions must be built whose implementation will have a positive impact on beneficiary populations," said Wotobé Kokou, the Secretary General of the Ministry in charge of Health.
At the end of the meeting, several recommendations were made, including the decentralization of health services to improve access to care in regions less affected by HIV. It was also suggested that more financial and human resources be mobilized to combat the disease in Greater Lomé, where HIV prevalence is ten times higher than in the rest of the country.
These scientific days are expected to help bring local players up to date with international news and highlight the operational research carried out by those working in the field. They should contribute to improving health interventions, to achieve the "95-95-95" targets by 2026 - meaning that 95% of people living with HIV know their serostatus, 95% of these people are on life-saving antiretroviral treatment, and 95% of people on treatment have a suppressed viral load, a prerequisite for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good health and well-being) by 2030.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo: Power Utility Calls Users to Update Prepaid Meters by August 3
Togo’s power utility, CEET, is about to expand its Cash Power update project to the whole country. The company announced the news in a statement dated July 15, 2024.
In the statement, the utility noted that the project’s pilot phase, which started on July 15, ended in good conditions.
Program Schedule
The expansion phase kicked off on July 15, from the CEET branches of Lomé Headquarters, Lomé Port, and Amlamé. On July 18, it will extend to Lomé Hédzranawoe, Lomé Akossombo, and Tabligbo; and on July 20 with Lomé Kégué, Lomé Avépozo, and Kévé. On July 23, the operation will extend to Lomé Adidogomé. On July 26, the towns of Sotouboua, Tchamba, Sokodé, Kara, Pagouda, Bafilo, Bassar, and Niamtougou will be involved. Aného, Tsévié, and Vogan will follow on July 29, and finally, on August 1, it will be the turn of Kpalimé, Notsé, Dapaong, Mango, and Cinkassé, before closing on August 3 in Atakpamé.
In its recent statement, the CEET also urged its customers to use their old tickets or codes for buying power credits before updating their meters. This way, they will avoid any loss of credits, as these are no longer accepted after the operation.
Togo: Anti-Corruption Body Teams with Civil Society Organizations
Togo’s Top Anti-Corruption Body, HAPLUCIA, has teamed up with several Civil Society Organizations to fight corruption in the country. Various agreements were inked last week in this framework.
The partnering CSOs will organize awareness workshops with Togolese citizens. They will also benefit from the Good Governance project financed by Germany and implemented by GIZ.
The end goal of the actions is to improve citizens’ trust in the public administration.
HAPLUCIA’s boss, Aba Kimelabalou, commented: "Corruption is a major obstacle to democratic governance, the protection of human rights, and sustainable development in Africa. It erodes citizens' trust in public institutions".
HAPLUCIA was established in 2015 to fight corruption and related offenses. The recent partnership with CSOs is a new milestone toward implementing a global strategy that aims to eradicate corruption in Togo.
Esaïe Edoh
ECOWAS Bank Launches $70 Million Green Bond Offering in West Africa
The Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) launched yesterday a green and sustainable bond issue in the UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) zone, via a public offering. The Bank seeks about $70 million through the issue, the first of a kind in the WAEMU market.
This operation will help raise the third tranche in a series of fund-raising initiatives targeting CFA240 billion (around $240 million) that EBID initiated to finance economic stimulus investments by its member states. The Bank raised CFA170 billion (approximately $170 million) through previous tranches.
EBID is launching a green and sustainable public bond issue in the WAEMU zone to fund projects in agriculture, renewable energy, health, and industry. For more info, visit: https://t.co/RrEjq1cbqC#Investment #GreenFinance #SustainableEconomy pic.twitter.com/51ZL4y7uGk
— ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) (@BIDC_EBID) July 15, 2024
Yesterday’s issue involves 7 million bonds, each with a face value of 10,000 CFA francs, with a 7-year maturity (including 2 years of deferral) and a net annual interest rate of 6.5%.
Proceeds will be "destined exclusively for the financing of a selection of projects identified mainly in Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, and Guinea Bissau," focusing on sectors such as infrastructure, energy, and health, according to the joint financing institution.
A year ago, EBID raised a record CFA120 billion on the WAEMU market.
The recently launched operation shows the lender’s efforts to mobilize financing for sustainable development projects across West Africa, leveraging the regional financial market.
Octave A. Bruce
Gnassingbé Eyadema Airport: Passenger Traffic Reached 1.4 Million in 2023
The Gnassingbé Eyadema International Airport (AIGE) had 1.4 million passengers in 2023. This is 52% more than in 2019, when the figure stood at 916,000.
The launch of new flight routes mostly spurred the surge. Six new routes have been launched, two with Ethiopian Airlines and four with Asky, bringing the total number of destinations served worldwide to 41. Additionally, Liz Aviation, a firm owned by Burkina Faso tycoon Mahamadou Bonkoungou, has recently begun serving Ouagadougou, strengthening the country's air offer. The direct Lomé-Washington flight launched in June 2022 by Ethiopian Airlines, which uses AIGE as a transit airport to its base in Addis Ababa and other airports, has also contributed to this dynamic.
The recent peak nears the AIGE’s target for 2025–1.5 million passengers. However, Lomé airport still ranks behind other logistics hubs in the sub-region, notably Abidjan's Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, which recorded 2.3 million passengers in 2023, compared to 2.09 million in 2022, an increase of 11.5%.
The increase in passenger traffic has also boosted Togo's tourism sector. In 2021 and 2022, the country welcomed almost a million visitors, generating revenue of CFA25 billion, compared to just over 480,000 tourists in 2020, at the height of Covid-19, for revenues of CFA19 billion.
Esaïe Edoh
WAMU Securities: Togo Raises CFA30 Billion in Latest Operation
Togo raised CFA30.3 billion on the West African Monetary Union (WAMU) securities market last Friday, July 12. That is about CFA5 billion less than the country was targeting for the operation.
According to the operation’s report, Lomé secured CFA17.5 billion through fungible treasury bills and CFA12.8 billion through fungible treasury bonds. The former mature over a year and the latter over three and five years, at respective rates of 6.15% and 6.40%.
Overall, 27 investors took part in the operation, raising CFA39.5 billion. This corresponds to a 112.8% subscription rate.
Adding the recent operation, Togo has raised CFA499 billion on the WAMU market this year. The country’s goal for 2024 is CFA604 billion.
Esaïe Edoh
World Bank and Togo Sign $298 Million in New Financing Agreements
The World Bank and the Government of Togo signed three new financing agreements last Friday, July 12. Totaling $298 million, the funds will help Togo boost access to electricity, improve public service delivery, and foster social cohesion.
The deals were inked by the World Bank’s Resident Representative and Togo’s Minister of Finance, Fily Sissoko and Sani Yaya, respectively. The signing ceremony was chaired by Sandra Ablamba Johnson, Minister Secretary General of the Togolese Presidency and World Bank Governor for Togo. Other officials present include the ministers of energy, civil service, social action, and universal healthcare.
Three Deals, Three Projects
The three deals are for three projects, including the Inclusive Development through Access to Electricity project (IDEA), the Togo Public Sector Strengthening for Service Delivery Operation
(PforR), and the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project (COSO). Respectively $200 million, $75 million, and $23 million were disbursed for the projects.
Funds allocated to IDEA will be used to build 161kV transmission lines, providing electricity to over 1.5 million people, mainly in rural areas. The project also aims to strengthen the sector's institutional capacity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by expanding renewable energy.
The second project, the PMAPDS will improve the management of human resources and public finances, modernize public administration, digitize tax revenue collection, and increase digital payments.
The $23 million disbursed for the COSO project will support refugees and their host communities.
"I am grateful to the World Bank Group for supporting our determination to tackle our major roadblocks to sustainable development," said Sani Yaya, Minister of Economy and Finance.
Over $600 Million Combined
Besides the three deals, thanks to a special waiver, Togo also secured an additional $315 million from the World Bank Group's Prevention and Resilience Window, resulting in cumulative funding of over $600 million for the country.
Commenting on the development, Sandra Johnson declared: "Emphasis should be placed on the impact for which these projects were initiated. This is why I am inviting us to greater celerity, a sense of urgency and realistic planning in the delivery of services, and greater efficiency in spending to achieve the goals set for our people’s good…These impacts must be felt in the daily lives of Togolese, whether women, young people, farmers, artisans, or any citizen."
New Country Partnership Framework
The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the presentation of the World Bank's new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Togo for 2025-2029, which aims to reduce poverty, increase shared prosperity, and promote sustainable development through the creation of quality jobs, improvement of human capital, and inclusive and sustainable territorial development.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: National Local Consumption Strategy Validated
The Togolese Ministry of Trade, Handicrafts, and Local Consumption, together with representatives of public administrations and economic operators, validated the National Strategy for Local Consumption on July 10, 2024.
This strategy is built around three main pillars. Firstly, it aims to make local goods and services more competitive. Secondly, it seeks to increase the visibility and accessibility of local products. Thirdly, it aims to improve the governance of local consumption.
The new strategy is key to boosting local consumption, according to Koffi Vinyo Mensah, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Trade. The official believes it will foster the national economy by valorizing the know-how of artisans, very small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as other promoters of local goods and services.
Moreover, local consumption is a source of job and wealth creation, particularly for young people and women.
The National Strategy for Local Consumption is supported by the World Bank Group and is part of Axis 2 of the government's 2020-2025 roadmap. This axis aims to bolster job creation by leveraging the economy’s strengths.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo's Universal Health Insurance Covers 800,000 People in First Six Months
Togo's new universal health insurance program has already enrolled 800,000 people. The program was launched in January 2024.
The figure is nearly 50% more compared to the 470,000 people previously covered by the National Health Insurance Institute (INAM).
The rapid growth in enrollment for the new universal health insurance program demonstrates Togo's commitment to improving access to healthcare for all its people, regardless of their economic status or occupation. In line with this ambition, the government has allocated an additional CFA1.5 billion to the national drug procurement agency, CAMEG Togo, to acquire more generic medicines.
The universal health insurance scheme is being implemented through two main institutions–the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) and the INAM-. The former covers private sector workers and the latter public sector employees.
Esaïe Edoh