Robert Dussey represents Togo in Samoa for talks about ACP-EU agreements

Politics

Monday, 25 February 2019 17:12

Robert Dussey represents Togo in Samoa for talks about ACP-EU agreements

(Togo First) - Togo’s minister of foreign affairs, Robert Dussey, is presently in Apia, Samoa Islands, for the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) summit currently being held there.

During the meeting, participants will review the policies put in place by the ACP regions, and also assess how far advanced are talks related to laws regulating partnership with the European Union. These laws should substitute the Cotonou Agreements which expire next year.

“This is a historical meeting since it officially marks the start of talks for this regional pillar, following the adoption of the ACP mandate to negotiate a new partnership agreement with the European Union,” said Dussey.

It should be noted that many meetings have been held to renegotiate the partnership. In May 2018 for example, Lomé hosted such meetings on the sidelines of the 107th session of the ACP council of ministers.

The Cotonou Agreements, let’s recall, were signed in June 2000, replacing the Lomé convention. They regroup 79 ACP member States and 28 European Union nations, thus totaling a population of around 700 million people.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

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)

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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)

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PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

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