Latest news with #Lomé
Zawya
10 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Togo: African Development Bank strengthens partnership with civil society
The African Development Bank ( held its first-ever Civil Society Open Day in Lomé, Togo, on 3 June. The event brought together representatives from the Togolese government, around 30 national and international civil society organisations (CSOs), and Bank staff — all committed to strengthening development partnerships in Togo. The key personalities at the event all emphasised this shared vision. Opening the event, Stéphane Akaya, Secretary General of Togo's Ministry of Economy and Finance, stressed the importance of civil society: "This open day with the African Development Bank reaffirms our joint commitment to inclusive and transparent progress. We are seeking to strengthen a tripartite partnership, where civil society is engaged from conception through to evaluation in order to ensure effective, people-centred development." Seconding Mr Akaya's point, Wilfrid Abiola, Head of the Togo Country Office of AfDB Group, said: "The African Development Bank Group remains committed to strengthening collaboration with Togolese civil society, which is a key player in sustainable development.' The CSO Open Day in Lomé aimed to strengthen collaboration between the Bank and civil society by sharing information on the Bank's development operations and projects in Togo. It also sought to encourage dialogue on the role of CSOs throughout the project cycle — from planning and preparation to implementation, supervision, and completion. "We are keen to strengthen our partnership with civil society organisations in Togo, encouraging open dialogue and promoting their full participation in the projects that we support," Zeneb Touré, Head of the AfDB's Civil Society and Community Engagement Division, said. Minemba Traore, Senior Civil Society Officer for West Africa at the Bank Group, shared information on the institution's engagement with CSOs, while Ndey Oley Cole, Senior Programme Officer in the AfDB's Gender, Women and Civil Society Department, presented a summary of the exchanges. Key outcomes and next steps from the discussions included: Greater involvement of civil society: CSOs will be included in all phases of development projects. Creation of a formal dialogue platform: The Bank, government, and CSOs will work together to establish a permanent forum for ongoing consultation. Capacity building for CSOs: Training will be provided in project monitoring and evaluation, proposal writing, and market access strategies. Improved communication: The Bank will share information on its activities in Togo in a more dynamic and accessible way, better meeting the needs of partners and the public. Promotion of social inclusion and diversity: Efforts will be made to ensure greater participation of young people and women in development initiatives. Development of a detailed action plan: Concrete deliverables and clear deadlines will guide follow-up and ensure effective implementation of commitments. The Open Day laid the foundations for closer partnerships, which can provide spaces for exchange, consultation and collaboration between the Bank, CSOs and other stakeholders in Togo. Such an approach will enable the AfDB to better understand local priorities, discuss partnership opportunities and receive input from civil society on the projects that it finances in Togo. The initiative is aligned with the Bank Group's Civil Society Engagement Action Plan 2024-2028, which was approved last year. Under Pillar 3 of this action plan, particular attention will be paid to strengthening dialogue with civil society organisations in the countries where the Bank works. Holding of civil society open days in regional member countries of the Bank is a key mechanism for operationalising this commitment. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Link to photo album:
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Togo Suspends French State-Owned Broadcasters RFI and France 24 for 3 Months Over Reporting
Togo has suspended broadcasts by two French state-owned networks for three months for an alleged lack of impartiality in their reporting, according to a statement from the High Authority for Audiovisual Communication on Monday. The move to censor foreign media outlets comes as President Faure Gnassingbé faces increasing pressure from critics over recent changes in the constitution that could effectively keep him in power indefinitely. Critics have called the changes a constitutional coup. Radio France Internationale (RFI) and France 24 are the networks being suspended. 'This measure follows repeated failings already reported and formally recalled in matters of impartiality, rigor, and fact-checking. Several recent broadcasts have relayed inaccurate, biased, and even contrary to established facts, undermining the stability of republican institutions and the country's image,' read the statement. 'Freedom of the press cannot be synonymous with disinformation or interference,' it said. Protests are scheduled for next week following a crackdown on protests earlier this month. Demonstrations are rare in Togo, as they have been banned in the country since 2022 following a deadly attack at Lomé's main market. But the latest change in government structure has been widely criticized in a region threatened by rampant coups and other threats to democracy.
Washington Post
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Togo's president faces calls to resign after protests over new role allowing indefinite rule
LOME, Togo — Togo's President Faure Gnassingbé is facing growing pressure following a government clampdown on protests calling for his resignation over recent changes in the constitution that could effectively keep him in power indefinitely. Activists on Tuesday condemned the arrest and alleged maltreatment of dozens of people following staged protests late last week in Togo's capital, Lomé, and on social media.
Associated Press
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Togo's president faces calls to resign after protests over new role allowing indefinite rule
LOME, Togo (AP) — Togo's President Faure Gnassingbé is facing growing pressure following a government clampdown on protests calling for his resignation over recent changes in the constitution that could effectively keep him in power indefinitely. Activists on Tuesday condemned the arrest and alleged maltreatment of dozens of people following staged protests late last week in Togo's capital, Lomé, and on social media. The Togolese leader, who has ruled since 2005 after the death of his father, was in May sworn in as President of the Council of Ministers. The powerful role has not official term limits and he is eligible to be re-elected by parliament indefinitely. Opposition politicians have denounced the move as a 'constitutional coup.' Around half of the 80 protesters who were arrested were released late Monday. However, at least 25 remain in custody, a local rights group said, urging authorities to release the others. 'What we know is that several people were beaten during their arrest,' Aimé Adi, director of Amnesty International's office in Togo, told The Associated Press. In addition to the release of the remaining detainees, 'what the Togolese now want is the end of this regime which can no longer offer anything to the people after 20 years of absolute and repressive power of Faure Gnassingbé,' said a coalition of political groups known as 'Hands Off My Constitution'. Demonstrations are rare in Togo as they have been banned in the country since 2022, following a deadly attack at Lome's main market. But the latest change in government structure has been widely criticized in a region threatened by rampant coups and other threats to democracy. Public prosecutor Talaka Mawama has defended the arrests and described the protests as 'part of a revolt against the institutions of the Republic.'
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘The US was our El Dorado': Africans on Trump's travel bans and taxes
When Essi Farida Geraldo, a Lomé-based architect, heard about partial restrictions on travel to the US from Togo as part of the travel bans announced by Donald Trump on Thursday, she lamented losing access to what many young Togolese consider to be a land of better opportunities. 'The United States was the Togolese's El Dorado,' Geraldo said. 'Many people go to work in the US to save money and support their families or projects in Africa … This will force the country to really develop stronger partnerships that exclude the US.' Trump's order, which is to come into effect on Monday, prohibits people from seven African countries – Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia and Sudan – from entering the US, making Africa the worst-affected continent. People from another three African countries – Burundi, Sierra Leone and Togo – will be subject to partial restrictions, meaning they will not be able to travel to the US on certain visas. For Geraldo, an alumnus of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders programme instituted by the Obama administration, the new restrictions compound the harm from Trump's foreign aid cuts, which made it harder for her to access funding for social projects in the tiny west African state. Mikhail Nyamweya, a political and foreign affairs analyst, said the new travel bans and restrictions would 'bring about a pattern of exclusion' and 'may also institutionalise a perception of Africans as outsiders in the global order'. 'In the short term, they will restrict access to education, innovation and professional mobility. In the long-term, they risk alienating African partners,' he said. The White House deputy press secretary, Abigail Jackson, said the countries on the list 'lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates or fail to share identity and threat information'. 'President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,' she said on X, adding that the restrictions were 'commonsense'. This interpretation was firmly rejected by Abby Maxman, the president and CEO of Oxfam America, who said the ban 'deepens inequality and perpetuates harmful stereotypes, racist tropes and religious intolerance'. She said: 'This policy is not about national security. It is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the US.' The policy has deepened a cloud of uncertainty in the affected countries, especially after the US government announced in May that visa appointments for students wishing to study in its universities had been suspended pending expanded social media vetting. There is also fear across Africa about a proposed tax on remittances under Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is under parliamentary review. If passed into law, the 3.5% tax could severely dent the GDP of many nations, for whom diaspora remittances are a huge contribution. Geoffrey Gichohi, a 34-year-old nurse working in Minnesota, recently sent money to his mother in Kenya – which is not covered by the travel ban – via an app to pay for a concrete wall and a metal gate at their home. Like many Africans abroad, he regularly sends money to his family members back home who rely on it for school fees, healthcare and other basic needs. A new tax – on top of sending and withdrawal fees – would make it more difficult, he said. 'The parents back at home in Kenya are the ones who will suffer because they'll have limited resources,' he said. 'Personally, I hope the bill doesn't get passed.' Human rights activists have criticised the restrictions and planned tax, saying they unfairly target citizens of countries in the global south. Other experts say the moves could further damage US-Africa ties in an era of rising anti-western sentiments on the continent. Feelings of despair are not universal, however. According to Jalel Harchaoui, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, many people in Libya will be unbothered by the new policies as the US is not a major travel destination for them. 'It's not good, but it's not noticed as something catastrophic,' he said. 'People are barely paying attention to [the travel ban] or the [proposed] remittance tax … if the same thing had happened to the UK it would be a major event, but not for the US.' Authorities in many of the affected countries are yet to respond. However, on Thursday afternoon the president of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby, suspended the issuance of visas to US citizens, citing the need for reciprocal action. 'Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give, but Chad has his dignity and pride,' he said in a Facebook post, referencing Qatar's controversial gift to the Trump administration. Over the last year, US and French troops have been forced to withdraw from military bases in Chad, which was previously a key ally in the Sahel for many western nations. The reaction from Sierra Leone, another US ally in west Africa, was much mellower. 'We have taken note of this proclamation,' said the information minister, Chernor Bah. 'Our understanding is that the decision is based exclusively on visa overstay rates and that it does not reflect the broader state of US-Sierra Leone relations, which remain from our perspective strong and productive.'
