Interview with Victoire Tomegah Dogbé, Prime Minister since September 28, 2020. The first woman to head the Togolese government, she is in charge of carrying out the new strategic plan aimed at accelerating the transformation of the country's economy.
What are the main challenges to be addressed within the framework of the government's 2020-2025 roadmap?
Before discussing the challenges, I would like to recall the context, marked by three major events, that led to the development of this roadmap. First, we learned from and drew lessons from the implementation of the 2018-2022 National Development Plan (NDP) and the encouraging results achieved by our country in recent years. Second, it is clear that the ambitious goals stemming from the commitments made by the Head of State, His Excellency Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, to the people must now guide our actions. The final element was the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which affected all sectors and spared no country in the world.
The 2020–2025 government roadmap thus allowed for adjustments to the integrated national vision, emphasizing greater efficiency in the conduct of public action, the continuation of reforms, and the acceleration of results for the benefit of the Togolese people. It was structured with a highly focused perspective, broken down into coherent strategic axes, and is based on the vision of a "peaceful Togo, a modern nation with inclusive and sustainable economic growth."
The first pillar aims to strengthen inclusion, social harmony, and consolidate peace. This desired inclusion is three-dimensional: social, economic, and financial. It will enable us to: strengthen the capacities and resilience of communities in the face of external shocks, facilitate their access to basic social services, and enhance their financial empowerment. The objective is to reduce inequalities by allowing the greatest number of Togolese to integrate into the economic and social fabric of our country. Emphasis is thus placed on human capital, positioning people at the heart of development. There is also the imperative need to continue ensuring security, peace, and justice for all. The second pillar of our roadmap focuses on wealth and job creation, building on our strengths: a country with a geostrategic position, a dynamic youth, an entrepreneurial and reformist spirit, an agile and innovative approach, and a sustainable and inclusive approach.
Modernizing and enhancing the attractiveness of agriculture, the largest contributor to GDP (40%), remain major challenges. This ambition is central to economic development and remains the foundation for Togo's industrial transformation. Finally, the strong logistical capabilities offered by our port represent a significant source of wealth creation which, if properly utilized, strengthens Togo's position as a hub for the West African sub-region.
Through our third strategic focus, we aim to modernize our country, particularly through the digitalization of processes and services. Modernizing the country and strengthening its structures are intended to support its development momentum. Returning to the coronavirus pandemic, it certainly impacted our development. However, we have been resilient and are already in the recovery phase. Thanks to the breadth of our diverse actions and the agility of our responses, Togo ended 2020 with 1.81 trillion TND of growth, despite a context of widespread economic decline.
Furthermore, the crisis has not prevented us from demonstrating that we can be ambitious even in the midst of a health crisis! Ambitions for greater inclusion have been realized through the "Novissi" cash transfer program, implemented in two weeks via a digital platform, which reached nearly one million people made economically vulnerable by the health crisis; the adoption of the law establishing universal health insurance; and the launch of the WEZOU project, which in six months has enabled 70,000 women to benefit. I will conclude by saying that, following the clear directives of the Head of State, the government is determined to offer a favorable environment to attract diverse investors and to further mobilize our national private sector, which is a key partner. However, as I mentioned earlier, we are not forgetting the security aspect, which is an equally important and decisive factor in attracting investors. The Togolese Head of State is very attentive to these issues, and we are actively working on them to preserve peace and security in our country. 60% of the Togolese population is under 25 years old.
What support mechanisms has the Togolese government put in place for the economic integration of young people?
Young people do indeed constitute the majority of the population. They remain an asset, a vital force that we must rely on for the development of our country.
The State believes in the potential of young people. When they are well educated, well trained, and healthy, young people bring invaluable worth to the realization of our ambitions.
This is why the roadmap places particular emphasis on the development of human capital with the improvement of educational infrastructure, health care services, and an active social protection strategy.
We also understood very early on that we need to support young people in their professional integration.
This is why youth empowerment mechanisms and entrepreneurship development programs have been implemented, along with specific programs for structuring agricultural value chains in which young people are heavily involved. Thanks to these programs, we have been able to create just over 700,000 jobs for young people in the production and agribusiness sectors (soybeans, rice, maize, cassava, etc.) over a five-year period: this has allowed Togo to become the leading African exporter of organic soybeans to Europe.
The result is simply remarkable. Today, we are witnessing the emergence of a class of young entrepreneurs. The challenge is to find the best support to foster their growth and enable them to fully play their role as drivers of the Togolese economy. It is also important to remember that our country has chosen to promote volunteerism. Because beyond these entrepreneurship programs, we are convinced that it is equally important to cultivate civic values in these young people. The establishment of work-study training institutes for development (IFAD), whether in agriculture (aquaculture, livestock), construction, renewable energy, or logistics, contributes to this proactive approach to youth integration. As I mentioned earlier, the ambitions outlined in the government roadmap aim for a dual objective: to ensure greater inclusion and to create a large number of sustainable jobs for young Togolese.
What is your vision of Africa in the future?
I would first like to reiterate our country's vision: "a Togo at peace, a modern nation with inclusive and sustainable economic growth." This vision, which places great importance on social inclusion and harmony, is driven by the strong leadership of the Head of State and relies on solid partnerships with the private sector.
In Africa, the future will be increasingly young and increasingly female! The Togolese experience is already showing the way, with women and young people holding key positions of responsibility in the country. We believe that Africa now possesses a wealth of young talent to whom the world will turn, as most continents face the challenge of aging populations.
Africa today is already an innovative Africa. We therefore believe that state policies should strengthen inclusion in all spheres and at all levels, ensuring that no one is left behind and creating an environment conducive to the flourishing of everyone's talent.
With its port, one of the most efficient and secure in Africa, Togo is positioned at the heart of the continent as a gateway to West Africa. Through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), our country offers access to a continental market. I therefore invite you to discover Togo, this country of 8 million inhabitants, a nation of great ambition, hard work, and achievement. A country that demonstrates exceptional resilience…