Togo: Lomé Hosts WTO Regional Trade Policy Course

Formation

Wednesday, 18 October 2023 15:07

Togo: Lomé Hosts WTO Regional Trade Policy Course

(Togo First) - Togo is hosting the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Regional Trade Policy Course. The course was launched on October 16 in Lomé, the capital, by Kayi Mivedor, Togolese Minister of Trade. It will last eight weeks.

Throughout the program, officials from ministries of trade of French-speaking African countries will exchange views on the WTO’s fundamental principles. It will provide participants with technical support for the multilateral trade system, with a focus on multilateral trade agreements, services, market access conditions, and dispute settlement.

Primarily, this course will focus on the regional trade policy context, in relation to WTO agreements, and will enlighten participants on how the multilateral trading system can be strengthened, reformed, and modernized.

According to the Togolese minister of trade, Kayi Mivedor, the course will help boost Africa’s contribution to global trade; to which the continent currently contributes only about 2%.

"This is why the WTO's technical assistance and capacity-building programs on the multinational trading system are proving important for Africa," said Mivedor. She also underscored that the proper functioning of a multilateral trading system relies on knowledge and understanding of the opportunities offered by rules and regulations.

Mivedor’s peer from the Ministry of higher education, Ihou Watéba, added, for his part, that the WTO’s courses are an opportunity to acquire the skills and tools needed to venture into highly competitive markets.

Before Togo, the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Regional Trade Policy Course was hosted in Benin, Tunisia and Côte d'Ivoire,

Esaïe Edoh

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.