The RICOWAS, a sub-regional rice project, was launched in Togo earlier this week. In Togo, the project is led by the Institute for Technical Supporting (ICAT). It is backed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The RICOWAS aims to transform rice farming in West Africa by integrating advanced and sustainable agricultural techniques. Madjoulba Batocfetou, General Manager of ICAT, noted that Togo's rice trade balance is currently in deficit, with the country importing large quantities of rice due to rising consumption. "This initiative aims to reduce this trade deficit and help Togo move closer to self-sufficiency in rice," he said.

The RICOWAS builds on the Rice Offensive initiative launched in 2013 and promotes cultivation methods such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), sustainable soil management, optimal water use, and the use of organic fertilizers to enhance soil health and crop productivity.

The program will benefit 13 countries over four years. Each of the countries will receive about $200,000 for implementing it. 

West Africa currently faces economic challenges, and improving local rice production could be a major step toward greater food security.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is working to enhance trade relations with Togo and has invited the country to participate in a meeting of Customs Directors General on Tuesday, July 23, in Niamey, Niger.

During the meeting, customs officials from AES member states agreed to interconnect their customs systems, including Togo, which is crucial for regional trade. They instructed their technical teams to establish an interconnected customs area within the AES.

Adama Ilboudo, Burkina Faso's Director General of Customs, stated that these measures will improve transit management and facilitate cross-border trade.

Philippe Kokou Tchodie, Commissioner General of the Togolese Office of Revenue (OTR), welcomed the initiative, noting that the port of Lomé has always served as a key access point for landlocked countries. He urged customs authorities in the region to expedite the interconnection process to maximize the benefits of this initiative.

This project comes at a challenging time for the region, particularly following ECOWAS economic sanctions against Sahel countries with military governments. Since these sanctions and the closure of borders between Benin and Niger, Togo has increased its efforts to strengthen trade relations with its neighbors.

Esaïe Edoh

From January to March 2024, microfinance institutions in Togo saw their deposits rise by CFA17 billion, up 4.6% compared to Q4 2024. This was the highest increase among decentralized financial systems in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) for Q1 2024, according to data from the Union’s Apex bank, the BCEAO.

In comparison, Benin's deposits grew by CFA15.3 billion, Burkina Faso's by CFA12.5 billion, and Senegal’s by CFA9.6 billion. Côte d'Ivoire also saw an increase of CFA9.6 billion. Overall, Togo's deposits rose by 4.6% from the previous quarter.

Across the WAEMU region, total deposits increased by CFA64.5 billion, or 2.8%, reaching CFA2,356.4 billion.

On the other hand, loans from microfinance institutions in Togo fell by 2.5%, a decrease of CFA9.2 billion. This trend was seen across the region, with total loans dropping by CFA72.6 billion, or 2.8%, compared to Q4 2023. In Benin, the drop was more significant: 10.9%. Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal only loaned less money, respectively 3.9% and 1.1%, in Q1 2024.

BCEAO attributes the decline in loans to seasonal factors. The Bank explained that people tend to spend less after the holiday season. Regardless, compared to Q1 2023 where they had loaned CFA2,515.4 billion, microfinance institutions loaned 15.9% more.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) released its 2024 West African Development Outlook (WADO) report today. The report was presented in a webinar hosted from 10:00 to 11:00 GMT.

The central theme of this year's report is "Building resilience to recurrent shocks". The report is expected to examine the development challenges and opportunities facing countries in the West African region.

The 2024 edition will review the challenges the sub-region has faced in recent months and years. This includes external factors like rising financing costs, fluctuating oil prices, economic sanctions, and energy shortages. It may also address internal political challenges for ECOWAS, such as the desire for some countries to split away.

Strengthening member states' ability to cope with economic and climate shocks is a key focus. 

Since its creation, EBID has provided $4.17 billion (CFA2,537 billion CFA) to support its member countries. As of the end of 2023, Togo accounted for 6.1% of EBID's total commitments.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The National Health Insurance Institute of Togo (INAM) is carrying out an awareness campaign in the Kara region, northern Togo. The campaign started on July 13 and will end on July 21. Its focus is the universal health insurance project (AMU).

Besides information, the INAM provides, as part of the campaign, free medical consultations, blood pressure and diabetes tests. Health tips are also shared. 

Through this campaign, INAM aims to obtain reliable health data on vulnerable people. The information collected from beneficiaries will enable the institute to better implement the medical assistance scheme provided for in the AMU project.

The campaign is part of INAM's drive to extend universal health insurance coverage to the whole of Togo and to get closer to local communities.

A similar campaign was carried out last May in the Grand Lomé area. 

Moov Africa Togo and Ecobank-Togo have launched a new financial product called "Move Money ATM." This service allows Flooz (Moov's mobile money service) subscribers to withdraw cash directly from Ecobank ATMs without using a bank card. The product was unveiled on July 17, in Lomé.

"This partnership enables all Togolese who need to withdraw money, whether they are Moov or Flooz customers," said El Bedraoui Younes, Managing Director of Moov Africa.

Souleymane Touré, Managing Director of Ecobank Togo, emphasized the importance of this service for financial inclusion. "With this solution, our customers can stop going to Ecobank branches or Xpress points. They can now make their withdrawals directly at Ecobank counters. This facilitates access to financial services for a large part of the population, contributing to a significant improvement in financial inclusion in Togo," he said.

This new service marks a new stage in the collaboration between Moov Africa Togo and Ecobank, which began with a mobile banking app trial in 2018.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The town of Aného, located 30 km southeast of Lomé, is getting a new tourist center. The mayor of Lacs 1 municipality, Alexis Aquereburu, recently announced that work is underway on the project. 

The center will be a place to promote and showcase the culture of the Lacs 1 municipality. It will be equipped with furnishings like office furniture, sculptures, and paintings that illustrate the history of local palaces.

The municipality has launched a call for local craftsmen to design the furnishings for the center. They are invited to "propose high-quality furnishings in local materials." Proposals will be accepted until July 23, 2024.

This initiative comes as the Togolese authorities continue their efforts to have the Aného-Glidji locality listed as a UNESCO cultural heritage site. A technical team from the Ministry of Culture recently visited the site, which has been on Togo's UNESCO tentative list since December 2021.

Esaïe Edoh