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25.10.2024

CWEIC Meets With Prime Minister of Togo on Sidelines of the Commonwealth Business Forum

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Prime Minister Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé is taking part in the proceedings on behalf of the Head of State, His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé. On Thursday 24 October 2024, the Head of Government held a bilateral meeting with a delegation from the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

In a brief presentation, the Prime Minister outlined the various business opportunities offered by Togo to this vast Commonwealth market. Togo’s geographical position makes it a major logistics hub that Commonwealth member states intend to capitalise on through future investments.

The delegation from the English-speaking institution was led by the Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Lord Jonathan Marland, assisted by his deputy Lord Swire. Lord Swire congratulated Togo on its improved business climate, which has made the country a strategic partner for the Commonwealth.

‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank the President of the Togolese Republic and the Prime Minister who took part in this bilateral meeting. Togo is a very attractive market in the sub-region, and in this respect it is a strategic partner for the Commonwealth. We currently have a programme to support Togo in several key sectors. This is an opportunity to be seized, and we are starting in December with an investor roundtable on Togo,’ said Pride Azefor, Director of Strategic Partnerships at CWEIC.

Togo’s reforms to make the country more attractive were also welcomed by CWEIC.

‘We have been able to put our finger on the realities of the reforms that have been carried out in Togo. CWEIC’s Deputy Chairman remarked that after the Prime Minister’s presentation, which lasted less than 30 minutes, he understood everything that was happening in Togo. These reforms are not just there on paper, but are having an impact on the ground. The Adétikopé industrial park has the infrastructure that investors are looking for, including warehouses and a site that is self-sufficient in energy. There’s also the port of Lomé, which is one of the continent’s top five ports. For us, these are assets that we want to present to investors within the Commonwealth, and as the newest member country, we think we can help Togo’, said Cham Etienne Bama, Hub Director for Cameroon, Gabon and Togo at the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

Earlier that day, the Commonwealth Business Forum was honoured to welcome Rose Kayi Mivédor, Minister for Trade, Handicrafts and Local Consumer Affairs, whom addressed the Closing Plenary. The forum gave Togo the opportunity to share its vision for inclusive growth based on three fundamental pillars. These are peace and security as the first pillar of any development, then job creation for young people, and finally economic growth as a strong axis built on the agricultural sector.

‘We talked about everything that is being done in Togo today in terms of development and value creation, both for young people in the agricultural and digital sectors, and to highlight Togo’s potential. It is also the objectives and challenges of sharing experience, know-how and prosperity that Togo expects from joining such a large family as the Commonwealth. It was therefore an opportunity to talk about what is being done in our country and the opportunities that we think we can bring to Commonwealth member countries by being a member of this great family, as well as the opportunities that we think we can also gain from belonging to this family”_, explained Minister Mivédor.

‘For us, being a member of this great family means being able to benefit from and share successful experiences and see what we can learn from the Commonwealth, and in terms of Togo’s position, we also have a lot to contribute to the Commonwealth,’ she added.