India’s Embassy in Togo inaugurated a library at the University of Lomé yesterday, February 15. The library, named “India Corner”, aims to allow young Togolese students to know more about India.

The facility was inaugurated by Ambassador Sanjiv Tandon and Ihou Wateba, the Togolese Minister of Higher Education. It contains books covering India’s politics, economy, education, culture, and society.

With more knowledge about the Asian giant, Togolese students will be able to participate in various projects to strengthen cooperation between both countries. Those who plan to study in India will also benefit from the resources. 

"This space comes in response to the ambition of university authorities to offer useful information to students on various destinations. It will enable the entire university community to learn about Indian culture," said Komlan Batawila, first Vice President of the University of Lomé.

Ambassador Tandon, for his part, noted that "the India Corner space is the crowning achievement and proof of the lasting and exemplary cooperation between Togo and India.”

Indeed, the two countries have a good relationship, with many deals signed in recent years. In June 2021, for example, Togo secured a CFA22 billion loan from Exim Bank of India for an electrification project covering 350 localities.  Several Indian-owned companies are also active in Togo.

Esaïe Edoh

On average, 900 children are diagnosed with cancer every year. The data was disclosed by experts on February 15, 2024, on the International Pediatric Cancer Day.

"Pediatric cancers are present in our country," said Dr Ahadji Kossi Adji, a specialist in the prevention of non-communicable diseases, in an interview with Radio Lomé. "When the 2022-2025 Cancer Plan was drawn up, statistics showed that there were around 900 cases of pediatric cancers every year. And projections show that over the next 10 years, these figures will be around 9,000 to 10,000, but these are just estimates," he added.

However, since data is scarcely available in Togo, these figures need to be validated. To tackle this challenge, experts await the establishment of a population-based cancer registry that will provide a more accurate assessment nationwide.

According to previous research, however, childhood cancers account for around 4% of all recorded cases, with an average age of 8 years, mainly leukemias (blood cancers), which are very common in children, as well as lymphatic cancers.

Two years ago, Togo set up a department specializing in pediatric oncology (childhood cancers) at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sylvanus Olympio in Lomé. The facility had cost CFA200 million to set up. 

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Togo (CCI-Togo) has, again, postponed the deadline for enrolling on its consular electoral registry. The new deadline is February 21, 2024, after it was recently set on February 14. 

The change was issued via a press release signed by the Minister of Commerce, Kayi Mivedor.

This new extension follows the recent ministerial decree relaxing the conditions for registration after the low participation of economic operators in the current process, according to the government.

Any economic operator established in Togo, and working in the trade, industry, or services sector, can register. They can register at any Prefecture office across the country or the CCI’s headquarters in Lomé.

The Kéran 1 municipality plans to spend CFA144.2 million on its development projects this year. The provisional budget was presented to the municipality's constituents and various partners on February 13, 2024, at the first ordinary session of the Kéran 1 Municipal Council in Kantè (460km north of Lomé).

The 2024 budget exceeds 2023’s by 6%. According to the municipality’s administration, the funds will primarily be invested in projects set out in the Communal Development Plan (PDC).

To effectively secure the funds, the Keran 1 management is considering deploying new strategies. These include tax collection and new ways to manage funds earned from building permits, parking lots, and public parking spaces. The Municipal Council also announced the updating of the taxpayers' directory, and the launch of the renewal process for market spaces and sand and gravel quarry permits.

The Kéran 1 municipality is located in the Kéran prefecture in the country's north-east. It is home to around 94,000 people.

Esaïe Edoh

The University of Lomé (UL) in Togo signed a new two-year partnership agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO). The new agreement was signed on February 13, by Adama Kpodar and Fatoumata Binta Tidiane Diallo. Kpodar chairs the UL and Diallo represents the WHO in Togo.

The deal supports the construction of the public health research and training center at the UL. It will also help bolster West African countries’ capacities in the public health sector. 

Regarding the training and research center; it is under construction and should be completed next year.

As for the reinforcing of capacities, the WHO will help local health agents better prevent, monitor, investigate, and tackle public health emergencies.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

An official delegation from Niger was in Lomé, Togo, on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. The delegation met with Edem Tengue, the Togolese minister of maritime economy. They talked about transporting Niger’s goods via the port of Lomé. 

Niger is a landlocked country. As such, access to the sea, via Lomé’s port, is crucial. Even more so given the possible reconfiguration of trade in the sub-region consequent with Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso’s decision to exit ECOWAS.

"The sister Republic of Togo has already done a lot, and we thank them for it. Thanks to Togo, since July 26, the people of Niger have continued to be supplied," said Colonel-major Salissou Mahman Salissou, Niger's Minister of Transport and Equipment, at the end of the meeting. "However, several concerns were raised by economic operators through the Chamber of Commerce, notably the problem of processing at a certain level of the corridor and the security problem. Instructions will be given to subordinate structures to think things over. Many solutions will be adopted for the well-being of our populations.

In response, Minister Tengue said: It's a meeting that stems from the desire of our country's highest authorities to smooth the passage of goods through the port of Lomé for our brothers in Niger."

This means ‘"Ensuring that trade between these two countries is [..] as fluid as possible, thus contributing to the proper functioning of their economies."

During the meeting, both sides addressed an invitation to economists who would like to be more invested in the Lomé-Ouaga-Niamey Corridor. Edem Tengue, in this regard, suggested investing in a fleet that will help cut costs which can be "a little prohibitive”.

Besides meeting Minister Tengue, the Nigerien delegation visited the port of Lomé.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Togo earned CFA19.84 billion from its mining industry in 2021. The figure was disclosed in the 2021 report by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in Togo (EITI Togo).

The mining revenues are up by 13% compared to 2020. That year, they stood at CFA17.53 billion.

Most of the 2021 revenues were generated by large-scale operations. They earned the country CFA16.88 billion, against CFA14.68 billion in 2020 (+15%). Groundwater mining brought in CFA1.19 billion, as in the previous year. Building materials operators paid the State CFA880 million compared with CFA1.17 billion, while small-scale miners paid almost CFA900 million.    

In Togo, most of the mining revenues come from phosphate. The sector’s leading export product, phosphate contributed 63% of the country’s export revenues - CFA 60.29 billion –in 2021. Clinker and raw limestone followed. They generated CFA 32.53 billion and 2.41 billion, respectively, in export revenues in 2021.

According to the EITI 2021 report, the extractive sector accounted for 1.4% of Togo's GDP in 2021, compared with 1.5% in 2020.  

Esaïe Edoh

The HAHO 3 municipality in the Haho prefecture mobilized CFA157.2 million in revenues in 2023. This includes 101.8 million which was allocated to the construction of the Kpédomé livestock market and culverts, the Haho mayor, Adaisso Kossi, disclosed on the sidelines of the municipality’s first ordinary session of 2024. The meeting focused on reporting administrative and management accounts for the 2023 financial year. Started on February 12 in Kpédomé, the session ends on February 16.

Participants will review ongoing projects and assess upcoming ones, as well as draw strategies to raise funds. They will also determine the responsibilities of stakeholders involved in the municipality’s development.

Mayor Kossi, in this regard, pointed out that these stakeholders need to commit to this goal. For his part, the Secretary General of the Haho prefecture, Assila Koudjina Komla, urged the people of Haho to monitor progress made on implemented projects, as indicated by Agence Togolaise de Presse.

Located in the Plateaux region, the Haho prefecture has a population of 165,000.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

Spain wants to improve its relationship with Togo. Spanish Ambassador to Togo Javier Gutiérrez unveiled the ambition last week while meeting with Togo’s Prime Minister, Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé. 

“Togo is an attractive country for Spanish companies,” said Gutiérrez before adding, “I think we need to work together to promote trade between the two countries.”

Besides economic opportunities, Spain eyes Togo’s education sector. “I also noticed that there were a lot of opportunities in the education sector,” the European ambassador added. He informed PM Tomegah-Dogbe that Spain is preparing a new cooperation strategy with Togo in agriculture, social, and other key sectors.

Towards drawing and implementing this strategy, the two officials discussed the possibility of organizing forums with Spanish companies in Spain, so they know more about the investment opportunities in Togo.

Esaïe Edoh