Togo Secures $1.5M from USAID to Empower People with Disabilities

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Wednesday, 02 October 2024 16:01

Togo Secures $1.5M from USAID to Empower People with Disabilities

(Togo First) - Togo launched last week a new initiative to support and empower people with disabilities. The program, AVANCE-Togo, was kicked off on September 27, in Lomé, by the Togolese Federation for Disabled People (FETAPH). The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) backs AVANCE-Togo with $1.5 million (about CFA800 million).

AVANCE-Togo aims to improve the inclusion and resilience of people with disabilities, especially women and young people. It will focus on making public infrastructure accessible, promoting training and decent jobs, and enhancing the management of humanitarian emergencies, as well as improving access to water and sanitation. The program should benefit 1,775 disabled individuals, over half of whom are women, across all regions of Togo.

Akakpo-Numado Enyonam, Chairman of the FETAPH Board of Directors, stated that the project's success depends on strong collaboration among all stakeholders. For his part, Pr. Kossiwa Zinsou-Klassou, Minister of Social Action, said AVANCE-Togo aligns with sustainable development goals and aims to provide disabled people equal development opportunities.

The USAID previously backed a similar program to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 on young people with disabilities.

This new initiative runs from 2024 to 2027.

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)

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.