Togo reviews national strategy for AfCFTA implementation

Togo has conducted a comprehensive review of its national strategy for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Kpalimé, led by the Ministry of Commerce with support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

The strategy targets key sectors—agriculture, phosphate processing, oil production, and services like telecommunications, finance, and tourism—to boost intra-African trade. The review assessed the five-year action plan, identified challenges and opportunities, and prepared for its upcoming revision amid evolving regional and global dynamics.

The technical committee evaluated the strategy’s implementation, focusing on its strengths, weaknesses, and alignment with sectoral activities. The review highlighted Togo’s progress in prioritising value chains, such as soybeans (production increased twelvefold from 25,000 tonnes in 2015 to 300,000 tonnes in 2022), cotton, and phosphates, critical for export growth. Challenges included regional competition, non-tariff barriers, and infrastructure gaps, with logistics costs accounting for up to 40% of trading goods across African nations. Recommendations included enhancing digital trade tools, streamlining regulations, and strengthening public-private partnerships to improve competitiveness.

The committee addressed emerging issues, such as new AfCFTA protocols on digital trade and investment, and the need for operational tools to navigate global economic shifts, including supply chain disruptions and rising energy prices. Togo’s strategy aligns with its National Development Plan (2018–2022) and emphasises regional integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The AfCFTA, launched in 2021, creates a single market for 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion, projected to double by 2050, and could increase intra-African trade by 33.8% by 2045.