Despite the health crisis in the world, the economy is not and should not be put on hold. There is development and employment.   This is the posture of Togolese leaders.   The Business Climate Cell (CCA), attached to the Presidency of the Republic, is active in carrying out several major projects announced in recent months.   We can cite the production of carbonate phosphate, the main investor of which is the Nigerian Dangote Group. He intends to invest $ 2 billion.   Dangote who will also build a cement factory for the local and regional market. The investment is estimated at $ 60 million.   Finally, the Canadian Logistik Unicorp intends to set up a uniform manufacturing plant. $ 10 million will be put on the table and 500 jobs will be created.

Togo has carried out major reforms to improve the business climate and attract the investment it needs for development. Progress highlighted in the Doing report published a few months ago. These developments concern many areas including commercial justice with an acceleration of procedures and the existence of an electronic case management system at the Commercial Court of Lomé. We can also mention the dematerialization of the summons and the publication on the Tribunal’s website of the decisions rendered. The state promotes conciliation and has created a Small Claims Chamber. The reform also concerns land. It concerns the issuance of building permits and the establishment of a Single Land Window. To stimulate cross-border trade, the authorities have taken a number of measures, including the dematerialization of the procedure for issuing the certificate of origin and customs clearance with the Sydonia World system. The Single Window for Foreign Trade allows you to complete online formalities in a few minutes and at the same time make declarations to the administration (customs, taxes). This system, which contains other innovations, is likely to stimulate trade and exchanges and to attract foreign economic operators to Togo. The country’s geographic location makes it a natural hub for hinterland countries.

The ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) countries and the European Union must reach a new cooperation agreement before the end of this year. The talks are dense, said DiploMag, the magazine published by the Togolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Negotiations for a new ACP-EU partnership were launched in September 2018 in New York. The first rounds of negotiations focused mainly on the “common foundation”, which brings together the values ​​and principles around which the EU and the ACP countries come together, and indicates the priority strategic areas in which the two parties intend to work together. The future agreement should include specific and action-oriented regional partnerships, focusing on the needs of each region. Consultations on regional partnerships were completed in the spring of 2019. The future ACP-EU partnership will serve to consolidate the close political ties between the EU and the ACP countries on the international scene. Together, the ACP countries and the EU represent more than 1.5 billion people and more than half of the seats in the United Nations. Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Dussey is the chief negotiator on behalf of the ACP.   Further information : DiploMag N°21.pdf

Within the framework of the 33rd Summit of the African Union, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Togolese Abroad, Pr Robert DUSSEY, representing HE Mr. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Togolese Republic, presented the February 10, a communication on behalf of Togo on the launching of the “Decade of African Roots and Diasporas”. This Togolese initiative, “Lomé Framework”, aims to set up a platform for the preparation and promotion of projects, initiatives and events relating to African roots and diasporas and aims mainly to: propose a periodic program presenting events by country and flagship operations; offer an international showcase for projects carried out by different countries; ensure the coordination and consistency of the actions proposed; mobilize participants for events offered by different countries. Minister Robert DUSSEY underlined, at the Summit of Heads of State and Government, the inclusive nature of the Lomé Framework aimed at grouping and federating initiatives with a view to strengthening the role and contributions of people of African roots and diasporas to the economic development of the continent. After the communication of Minister Robert DUSSEY at the Summit of the African Union, a large majority of countries adhered to the Togolese initiative and the Presidency of the African Union wished to reaffirm the importance of the question of roots and diasporas African. A consensus emerged on the establishment of a High Level Committee to prepare the content and the conditions for the implementation of this pan-African platform. A call for project proposals open to all African countries is planned for the identification, study and selection of projects that can be included in the continental agenda of the Decade of African Roots and Diasporas. Through this innovative framework for cooperation between African countries, the aim is to better involve Africans from outside and to strengthen the links between Afro-descendants, communities with African roots, diasporas and their continent, “mother earth. “, Africa. The objective is to make African diasporas strategic actors in the development of Africa. As such, Togo is preparing the first “African Diaspora Economic Forum”, making Lomé the capital of African roots and diasporas. Done at Addis Ababa on February 10, 2020

Prime Minister Komi Selom Klassou presided on Friday the inauguration ceremony of the 77 members of the Togolese High Council for Foreign Affairs (HCTE) It is obvious that no nation can build itself and ensure its fulfillment if it does not associate all its daughters and sons with the management of the common thing. This is why the Togolese government, in its various strategic plans, has always favored the consideration of the concerns of the Diaspora as one of its priorities, “he said. For his part, Foreign Minister Robert Dussey emphasized that the ceremony was a symbol of renewed trust between the motherland and its sons, who, for various reasons, live abroad. A reaffirmation of the close bond between our country and its Diaspora, an opportunity that reiterates our feeling of belonging to the same national community, hammered the head of diplomacy who piloted the installation of the HCTE. This apolitical High Council aims to unite the Diaspora around national development ambitions. Its elected members represent about 1.5 million Togolese living in 53 countries, in Africa, Europe, North America and elsewhere in the world. The HCTE will be a means to directly involve the Diaspora in the development of Togo, but also to be a link between various associations often disorganized and therefore not audible.

DiploMag, the magazine of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has just been published. A large place is dedicated to the Diaspora Forum which will take place at the end of November in Lomé; a first. Nearly one and a half million Togolese live abroad. For the authorities, the Diaspora must become a real partner for development. The magazine also devotes a file to the recent election of delegates to the High Council of Togolese Abroad (HCTE).

Five Togolese were rewarded Friday evening for the ”Success Stories Diaspora” trophies. Their journey is very different, but rich in encounters, opportunities and willingness. The winners of the 2019 edition are Kossikouma Victor Agbegnenou is the President of the KA Technologies Group, Simon Worou is Mayor of the municipality of Sainte Juliette (Aveyron, France), Pierre Koffi Alanda is an expert in organic farming, Jean-Claude Homawoo is a venture capital expert André Danonu Lignanmatey Batako is a professor and principal investigator at the University of Liverpool.