Togo: Government seeks CFA35 billion more to accelerate its Savanes Region Emergency Program (PURS)

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Monday, 13 February 2023 17:04

Togo: Government seeks CFA35 billion more to accelerate its Savanes Region Emergency Program (PURS)

(Togo First) - In Togo, the government will seek CFA35 billion more to accelerate the deployment of the Savanes Region Emergency Program (PURS in French), a program aimed at making the people of this region more resilient to terrorist attacks. This was revealed last Thursday, during a meeting between the government and its technical and financial partners (TFPs) on the project.

The government counts mainly on the United Nations System, bilateral and multilateral partners, and development banks to get the money. According to Aliou Mamadou Dia, resident representative of the UNDP in Togo, these actors are still committed to the project. Dia added that so far, the TFPs’ commitment to the project amounts to CFA150 billion for the 2022-2025 period. This is against a budget of CFA200 billion.

During the meeting, the various parties talked mainly about expanding the PURS, very soon, in the Kara and Central regions, and the funds sought should contribute to this objective.

Earlier this year, the government revealed that CFA50 billion has already been injected into the project and helped expand rural networks by 15%-20% and extend access to drinking water to 80,000 people. The monies also allowed the provision of electricity to 15,000 more households.

The PURS was launched in 2022 in response to the attacks of terrorists which started hitting the Savanes region (in the North) in November 2021.

Esaïe Edoh

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