Germany Allocates €25 Million to Togo, Benin and Guinea-Bissau for Extremism Prevention

Security

Wednesday, 16 October 2024 14:55

Germany Allocates €25 Million to Togo, Benin and Guinea-Bissau for Extremism Prevention

(Togo First) - Togo, Benin, and Guinea-Bissau will receive €25 million (over CFA16 billion) from Germany to fund projects to tackle violent extremism. This financial support comes from the Regional Stabilization and Development Fund (RSDF), which was recently launched in Cotonou by ECOWAS.

From 2024 to 2027, these countries will focus on three key areas: job creation, environmental protection, and strengthening social cohesion. The initiatives will offer vocational training to young people, develop basic infrastructure, and promote entrepreneurship. Environmental efforts will include reforestation, irrigation, and renewable energy projects. Social cohesion will be enhanced through sports and peace promotion via media.

ECOWAS, in collaboration with the beneficiary countries, strives to prevent regional crises by creating sustainable economic opportunities for vulnerable groups, particularly women, youth, and returning migrants.

"This project clearly shows that the fight against violent extremism is not just a military matter. In anticipation, it involves thinking about setting up basic socio-economic infrastructures, building the capacities of vulnerable populations to give them back hope, and implementing governance policies capable of preserving our fragile vivre-ensemble," said Amadou Diongue, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin.

In Togo, this funding will help protect the northern population from extremists whose attacks in the region have been on the rise. The first phase of this project was implemented in Gambia from 2019 to 2024.

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.