Togo Country Facts

 

Bureau of African Affairs                                                     
August 2007                                                                   
                                                                       
  Background Note: Togo Country Facts                                                        
                                                     
  Women at a local cloth market in                                            
  Lome, Togo, February 10, 2005. [© AP                                        
  Images]                                                                     
                                                                       
  Flag of Togo is five equal horizontal bands of green - top and bottom -     
  alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square 
  in the upper hoist-side corner.                                             
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Togolese Republic                                                           
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 56,785 sq. km.; slightly smaller than West Virginia.                  
  Cities: Capital (pop. 2004 est.) Lome--850,000.                             
  Terrain: Savannah and hills and coastal plain.                              
  Climate: Tropical.                                                          
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun and adjective (sing. and pl.)--Togolese.                  
  Population (2004): 5,000,000.                                               
  Annual growth rate (2004): 2.1%.                                            
  Ethnic groups: Ewe, Mina, Kabye, Cotocoli, Moba.                            
  Religions (est.): Animist 33%, Christian 47.1%, Muslim 13.7%, other 6.1%.   
  Languages: French (official), local (Ewe, Mina, Kabye).                     
  Education: Attendance (2000)--62% of age group 5-19 enrolled. Literacy (2003)
  --male 75%, female 47%.                                                     
  Health: Life expectancy (2003)--male 51 yrs, female 55 yrs.                 
  Work force: (1999 est.) Total--2 million (43% of the total population); rural
  work force (est.)--1,350,000; urban work force (est.)--650,000.             
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Republic.                                                             
  Independence: April 27, 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship).     
  Constitution: Adopted 1992.                                                 
  Branches: Executive--president (chief of state); prime minister (head of    
  government). Legislative--National Assembly. Judicial--Supreme Court.       
  Subdivisions: 30 prefectures.                                               
  Political parties: Rassemblement du Peuple Togolais (RPT); Union des Forces 
  de Changement (UFC); Comite d'action pour le Renouveau (CAR), Pan-African   
  Patriotic Convergence Party (CPP).                                          
  Suffrage: Universal adult.                                                  
  National holiday: Independence Day, April 27.                               
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (2004): $2.1 billion.                                                   
  Per capita income (2004): $380.                                             
  Natural resources: Phosphates, limestone, marble.                           
  Agriculture (40.1% of 2002 GDP): Products--yams, cassava, corn, millet,     
  sorghum, cocoa, coffee, rice, cotton.                                       
  Industry (21.6% of 2002 GDP): Types--mining, manufacturing, construction,   
  energy.                                                                     
  Services: 38.3% of 2002 GDP.                                                
  Trade: (2002): Exports--$438 million: phosphates, cocoa, coffee, cotton.    
  Imports--$662 million: consumer goods, including foodstuffs, fabrics,       
  clothes, vehicles, equipment. Major partners--Ghana, France, Cote d'Ivoire, 
  Germany, Nigeria, Canada, People's Republic of China, Benin.                
                                                                       
  GEOGRAPHY                                                                   
  Togo is bounded by Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin, and the Gulf of Guinea. It   
  stretches 579 kilometers (360 mi.) north from the gulf and is only 160      
  kilometers (100 mi.) wide at the broadest point. The country consists       
  primarily of two savanna plains regions separated by a southwest-northwest  
  range of hills (the Chaine du Togo).                                        
                                                                       
  Togo's climate varies from tropical to savanna. The south is humid, with    
  temperatures ranging from 23oC to 32oC (75oF to 90oF). In the north,        
  temperature fluctuations are greater--from 18oC to more than 38oC (65oF to  
  100oF).                                                                     
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  Togo's population of 4.97 million people (2003 est.) is composed of about 21
  ethnic groups. The two major groups are the Ewe in the South and the Kabye in
  the North. Population distribution is very uneven due to soil and terrain   
  variations. The population is generally concentrated in the south and along 
  the major north-south highway connecting the coast to the Sahel. Age        
  distribution also is uneven; nearly one-half of the Togolese are less than 15
  years of age. The ethnic groups of the coastal region, particularly the Ewes
  (about 21% of the population), constitute the bulk of the civil servants,   
  professionals, and merchants, due in part to the former colonial            
  administrations which provided greater infrastructure development in the    
  south. The Kabye (12% of the population) live on marginal land and          
  traditionally have emigrated south from their home area in the Kara region to
  seek employment. Their historical means of social advancement has been      
  through the military and law enforcement forces, and they continue to       
  dominate these services.                                                    
                                                                       
  Most of the southern peoples use the Ewe or Mina languages, which are closely
  related and spoken in commercial sectors throughout Togo. French, the       
  official language, is used in administration and documentation. The public  
  primary schools combine French with Ewe or Kabye as languages of instruction,
  depending on the region. English is spoken in neighboring Ghana and is taught
  in Togolese secondary schools. As a result, many Togolese, especially in the
  south and along the Ghana border, speak some English.                       
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  The Ewes moved into the area which is now Togo from the Niger River valley  
  between the 12th and 14th centuries. During the 15th and 16th centuries,    
  Portuguese explorers and traders visited the coast. For the next 200 years, 
  the coastal region was a major raiding center for Europeans in search of    
  slaves, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast." 
  In an 1884 treaty signed at Togoville, Germany declared a protectorate over a
  stretch of territory along the coast and gradually extended its control     
  inland. Because it became Germany's only self-supporting colony, Togoland was
  known as its model possession. In 1914, Togoland was invaded by French and  
  British forces and fell after brief resistance. Following the war, Togoland 
  became a League of Nations mandate divided for administrative purposes      
  between France and the United Kingdom.                                      
                                                                       
  After World War II, the mandate became a UN trust territory administered by 
  the United Kingdom and France. During the mandate and trusteeship periods,  
  western Togo was administered as part of the British Gold Coast. In 1957, the
  residents of British Togoland voted to join the Gold Coast as part of the new
  independent nation of Ghana.                                                
                                                                       
  By statute in 1955, French Togo became an autonomous republic within the    
  French union, although it retained its UN trusteeship status. A legislative 
  assembly elected by universal adult suffrage had considerable power over    
  internal affairs, with an elected executive body headed by a prime minister 
  responsible to the legislature. These changes were embodied in a constitution
  approved in a 1956 referendum. On September 10, 1956, Nicholas Grunitzky    
  became prime minister of the Republic of Togo. However, due to irregularities
  in the plebiscite, an unsupervised general election was held in 1958 and won
  by Sylvanus Olympio. On April 27, 1960, in a smooth transition, Togo severed
  its constitutional ties with France, shed its UN trusteeship status, and    
  became fully independent under a provisional constitution with Olympio as   
  president.                                                                  
                                                                       
  A new constitution in 1961 established an executive president, elected for 7
  years by universal suffrage and a weak National Assembly. The president was 
  empowered to appoint ministers and dissolve the assembly, holding a monopoly
  of executive power. In elections that year, from which Grunitzky's party was
  disqualified, Olympio's party won 90% of the vote and all 51 National       
  Assembly seats, and he became Togo's first elected president.               
                                                                       
  During this period, four principal political parties existed in Togo: the   
  leftist Juvento (Togolese youth movement); the Union Democratique des       
  Populations Togolaises (IDPT); the Parti Togolais Du Progres (PTP), founded 
  by Grunitzky but having limited support; and the Unite Togolaise (UT), the  
  party of President Olympio. Rivalries between elements of these parties had 
  begun as early as the 1940s, and they came to a head with Olympio dissolving
  the opposition parties in January 1962 ostensibly because of plots against  
  the majority party government. Many opposition members, including Grunitzky,
  fled to avoid arrest.                                                       
                                                                       
  On January 13, 1963, President Olympio was assassinated in an uprising of   
  army non-commissioned officers dissatisfied with conditions following their 
  discharge from the French army. Grunitzky returned from exile 2 days later to
  head a provisional government with the title of prime minister. On May 5,   
  1963, the Togolese adopted a new constitution which reinstated a multi-party
  system, chose deputies from all political parties for the National Assembly,
  and elected Grunitzky as president and Antoine Meatchi as vice president.   
  Nine days later, President Grunitzky formed a government in which all parties
  were represented.                                                           
                                                                       
  During the next several years, the Grunitzky government's power became      
  insecure. On November 21, 1966, an attempt to overthrow Grunitzky, inspired 
  principally by civilian political opponents in the UT party, was            
  unsuccessful. Grunitzky then tried to lessen his reliance on the army, but on
  January 13, 1967, Lt. Col. Etienne Eyadema (later Gen. Gnassingbe Eyadema)  
  ousted President Grunitzky in a bloodless military coup. Political parties  
  were banned, and all constitutional processes were suspended. The committee 
  of national reconciliation ruled the country until April 14, when Eyadema   
  assumed the presidency. In late 1969, a single national political party, the
  Assembly of the Togolese People (RPT), was created, and President Eyadema was
  elected party president on November 29, 1969. In 1972, a national referendum,
  in which Eyadema ran unopposed, confirmed his role as the country's         
  president.                                                                  
                                                                       
  In late 1979, Eyadema declared a third republic and a transition to greater 
  civilian rule with a mixed civilian and military cabinet. He garnered 99.97%
  of the vote in uncontested presidential elections held in late 1979 and early
  1980. A new constitution also provided for a national assembly to serve     
  primarily as a consultative body. Eyadema was reelected to a third          
  consecutive 7-year term in December 1986 with 99.5% of the vote in an       
  uncontested election. On September 23, 1986, a group of some 70 armed       
  Togolese dissidents crossed into Lome from Ghana in an unsuccessful attempt 
  to overthrow the Eyadema government.                                        
                                                                       
  In 1989 and 1990, Togo, like many other countries, was affected by the winds
  of democratic change sweeping eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. On October
  5, 1990, the trial of students who handed out antigovernment tracts sparked 
  riots in Lome. Antigovernment demonstrations and violent clashes with the   
  security forces marked the months that followed. In April 1991, the         
  government began negotiations with newly formed opposition groups and agreed
  to a general amnesty that permitted exiled political opponents to return to 
  Togo. After a general strike and further demonstrations, the government and 
  opposition signed an agreement to hold a "national forum" on June 12, 1991. 
                                                                       
  The national forum, dominated by opponents of President Eyadema, opened in  
  July 1991 and immediately declared itself to be a sovereign "National       
  Conference." Although subjected to severe harassment from the government, the
  conference drafted an interim constitution calling for a 1-year transitional
  regime tasked with organizing free elections for a new government. The      
  conference selected Joseph Kokou Koffigoh, a lawyer and human rights group  
  head, as transitional prime minister but kept President Eyadema as chief of 
  state for the transition, although with limited powers.                     
                                                                       
  A test of wills between the president and his opponents followed over the   
  next 3 years during which President Eyadema gradually gained the upper hand.
  Frequent political paralysis and intermittent violence marked this period.  
  Following a vote by the transitional legislature (High Council of the       
  Republic) to dissolve the President's political party--the RPT--in November 
  1991, the army attacked the prime minister's office on December 3 and       
  captured the prime minister. Koffigoh then formed a second transition       
  government in January 1992 with substantial participation by ministers from 
  the President's party. Opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio, son of the slain
  president Sylvanus Olympio, was ambushed and seriously wounded apparently by
  soldiers on May 5, 1992.                                                    
                                                                       
  In July and August 1992, a commission composed of presidential and opposition
  representatives negotiated a new political agreement. On September 27, the  
  public overwhelmingly approved the text of a new, democratic constitution,  
  formally initiating Togo's fourth republic.                                 
                                                                       
  The democratic process was set back in October 1992, when elements of the   
  army held the interim legislature hostage for 24 hours. This effectively put
  an end to the interim legislature. In retaliation, on November 16, opposition
  political parties and labor unions declared a general strike intended to    
  force President Eyadema to agree to satisfactory conditions for elections.  
  The general strike largely shut down Lome for months and resulted in severe 
  damage to the economy.                                                      
                                                                       
  In January 1993, President Eyadema declared the transition at an end and    
  reappointed Koffigoh as prime minister under Eyadema's authority. This set  
  off public demonstrations, and, on January 25, members of the security forces
  fired on peaceful demonstrators, killing at least 19. In the ensuing days,  
  several security force members were waylaid and injured or killed by civilian
  oppositionists. On January 30, 1994, elements of the military went on an    
  8-hour rampage throughout Lome, firing indiscriminately and killing at least
  12 people. This incident provoked more than 300,000 Togolese to flee Lome for
  Benin, Ghana, or the interior of Togo. Although most had returned by early  
  1996, some still remain abroad.                                             
                                                                       
  On March 25, 1993, armed Togolese dissident commandos based in Ghana attacked
  Lome's main military camp and tried unsuccessfully to kill President Eyadema.
  They inflicted significant casualties, however, which set off lethal        
  reprisals by the military against soldiers thought to be associated with the
  attackers.                                                                  
                                                                       
  Under substantial domestic and foreign pressure and the burden of the general
  strike, the presidential faction entered negotiations with the opposition in
  early 1993. Four rounds of talks led to the July 11 Ouagadougou agreement   
  setting forth conditions for upcoming presidential and legislative elections
  and ending the general strike as of August 3, 1993. The presidential        
  elections were set for August 25, but hasty and inadequate technical        
  preparations, concerns about fraud, and the lack of effective campaign      
  organization by the opposition led the chief opposition candidates--former  
  minister and Organization of African Unity Secretary General Edem Kodjo and 
  lawyer Yawovi Agboyibo--to drop out of the race before election day and to  
  call for a boycott. President Eyadema won the elections by a 96.42% vote    
  against token opposition. About 36% of the voters went to the polls; the    
  others boycotted.                                                           
                                                                       
  Ghana-based armed dissidents launched a new commando attack on military sites
  in Lome in January 1994. President Eyadema was unhurt, and the attack and   
  subsequent reaction by the Togolese armed forces resulted in hundreds of    
  deaths, mostly civilian. The government went ahead with legislative elections
  on February 6 and February 20, 1994. In generally free and fair polls as    
  witnessed by international observers, the allied opposition parties UTD and 
  CAR together won a narrow majority in the National Assembly. On April 22,   
  President Eyadema named Edem Kodjo, the head of the smaller opposition party,
  the UTD, as prime minister instead of Yawovi Agboyibo, whose CAR party had  
  far more seats. Kodjo's acceptance of the post of prime minister provoked the
  CAR to break the opposition alliance and refuse to join the Kodjo government.
                                                                       
  Kodjo was then forced to form a governing coalition with the RPT. Kodjo's   
  government emphasized economic recovery, building democratic institutions and
  the rule of law and the return of Togolese refugees abroad. In early 1995,  
  the government made slow progress toward its goals, aided by the CAR's August
  1995 decision to end a 9-month boycott of the National Assembly. However,   
  Kodjo was forced to reshuffle his government in late 1995, strengthening the
  representation by Eyadema's RPT party, and he resigned in August 1996.      
  Eyadema reemerged with a sure grip on power, controlling most aspects of    
  government.                                                                 
                                                                       
  In the June 1998 presidential election, the government prevented citizens   
  from effectively exercising the right to vote. The Interior Ministry declared
  Eyadema the winner with 52% of the vote in the 1998 election; however,      
  serious irregularities in the government's conduct of the election strongly 
  favored the incumbent and appear to have affected the outcome materially.   
  Although the government did not obstruct the functioning of political       
  opponents openly, the President used the strength of the military and his   
  government allies to intimidate and harass citizens and opposition groups.  
  The government and the state remained highly centralized: President Eyadema's
  national government appointed the officials and controlled the budgets of all
  subnational government entities, including prefectures and municipalities,  
  and influenced the selection of traditional chiefs.                         
                                                                       
  The second multi-party legislative elections of Eyadema's 33-year rule were 
  held on March 21, 1999. However, the opposition boycotted the election, in  
  which the ruling party won 79 of the 81 seats in the National Assembly. Those
  two seats went to candidates from little-known independent parties.         
  Procedural problems and significant fraud, particularly misrepresentation of
  voter turnout marred the legislative elections.                             
                                                                       
  After the legislative election, the government announced that it would      
  continue to pursue dialog with the opposition. In June 1999, the RPT and    
  opposition parties met in Paris, in the presence of facilitators representing
  France, Germany, the European Union, and La Francophonie (an international  
  organization of French-speaking countries), to agree on security measures for
  formal negotiations in Lome. In July 1999, the government and the opposition
  began discussions, and on July 29, 1999, all sides signed an accord called  
  the "Lome Framework Agreement," which included a pledge by President Eyadema
  that he would respect the constitution and not seek another term as president
  after his current one expired in 2003. The accord also called for the       
  negotiation of a legal status for opposition leaders, as well as for former 
  heads of state (such as their immunity from prosecution for acts in office).
  In addition, the accord addressed the rights and duties of political parties
  and the media, the safe return of refugees, and the security of all citizens.
  The accord also contained a provision for compensating victims of political 
  violence. The President also agreed to dissolve the National Assembly in    
  March and hold new legislative elections, which would be supervised by an   
  independent national election commission (CENI) and which would use the     
  single-ballot method to protect against some of the abuses of past elections.
  However, the March 2000 date passed without presidential action, and new    
  legislative elections were ultimately rescheduled for October 2001. Because 
  of funding problems and disagreements between the government and opposition,
  the elections were again delayed, this time until March 2002.               
                                                                       
  In May 2002 the government scrapped CENI, blaming the opposition for its    
  inability to function. In its stead, the government appointed seven         
  magistrates to oversee preparations for legislative elections. Not          
  surprisingly, the opposition announced it would boycott them. Held in       
  October, as a result of the opposition's boycott the government party won   
  more than two-thirds of the seats in the National Assembly. In December 2002,
  Eyadema's government used this rubber-stamp parliament to amend Togo's      
  constitution, allowing President Eyadema to run for an "unlimited" number of
  terms. A further amendment stated that candidates must reside in the country
  for at least 12 months before an election, a provision that barred the      
  participation in the upcoming presidential election of popular Union des    
  Forces du Progres (UFC) candidate, Gilchrist Olympio, who had been in exile 
  since 1992. The presidential election was held June 1, 2003. President      
  Eyadema was re-elected with 57% of the votes, amid allegations of widespread
  vote rigging.                                                               
                                                                       
  On April 14, 2004, the Government of Togo signed an agreement with the      
  European Union that included 22 commitments the Government of Togo must honor
  as a precondition for resumption of EU aid. Among the most important of these
  commitments are a constructive national dialogue between the Government of  
  Togo and the traditional opposition parties, and free and democratic        
  legislative elections.                                                      
                                                                       
  By November 2004, Togo had made modest progress on some commitments,        
  releasing 500 prisoners, removing prison sentences from most provisions of  
  the Press Code, and initiating a dialogue with the core opposition parties. 
  Consultations were ongoing with the European Union with regard to when and  
  how to resume development cooperation.                                      
                                                                       
  On February 4, 2005 President Gnassingbe Eyadema died. In an unconstitutional
  move, the military leadership swore in as President Faure Gnassingbe, the   
  late President Eyadema's son. Immediate condemnation by African leaders     
  followed by sanctions of the Economic Community of West African States and  
  the African Union combined with pressure from the international community led
  finally to a decision on February 25 for Faure Gnassingbe to step down.     
  Protest efforts by the public included a large demonstration in Lomé that was
  permitted to proceed peacefully. Prior to stepping down, Gnassingbe was     
  selected as leader of the ruling party and named as a candidate in the      
  announced presidential elections to choose a successor to Eyadema. Abass    
  Bonfoh, National Assembly Vice President, was selected to serve as Speaker of
  the National Assembly and therefore simultaneously became interim President.
  Real power apparently was retained by Gnassingbe as he continued to use the 
  offices of the President while the interim President operated from the      
  National Assembly.                                                          
                                                                       
  Deeply flawed elections were held in April 2005, marred by violence and     
  widespread accusations of vote tampering, and causing tens of thousands of  
  Togolese to flee to neighboring Benin and Ghana. Faure Gnassingbe was       
  pronounced the winner, and was pressed by the international                 
  community--including regional heads of state--to form a government of       
  national unity, including key opposition figures. After Gnassingbe failed to
  reach agreement with the opposition, he named as Prime Minister Edem Kodjo, a
  founder of the ruling RPT and former OAU Secretary-General and Togolese Prime
  Minister. Kodjo subsequently named a Cabinet that kept security-related     
  ministries in the hands of the RPT and did not include any representatives  
  from the genuine opposition.                                                
                                                                       
  In August 2006 President Gnassingbe and members of the opposition signed the
  Global Political Agreement (GPA), bringing an end to the political crisis   
  trigged by Gnassingbe Eyadema's death in February 2005 and the flawed and   
  violent electoral process that followed. The GPA provided for a transitional
  unity government whose primary purpose would be to prepare for benchmark    
  legislative elections. CAR opposition party leader and human rights lawyer  
  Yawovi Agboyibo was appointed Prime Minister of the transitional government 
  in September 2006. Leopold Gnininvi, president of the CDPA party, was       
  appointed minister of state for mines and energy. The third opposition party,
  UFC, headed by Gilchrist Olympio, declined to join the government, but agreed
  to participate in the national electoral commission and the National Dialogue
  follow-up committee, chaired by Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore.     
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                         
  Togo has a transitional unity government in preparation for legislative     
  elections. President Gnassingbe faces a significant challenge, treading     
  lightly with entrenched ruling party interests while trying to implement    
  democratic reforms and revive Togo's deteriorating economy. Togo's          
  long-suffering population has seen its living standards decline precipitously
  since the 1980s.                                                            
                                                                       
  The Togolese judiciary is modeled on the French system. For administrative  
  purposes, Togo is divided into 30 prefectures, each having an appointed     
  prefect.                                                                    
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  President--Faure Gnassingbe                                                 
  Prime Minister--Yawovi Agboyibo                                             
  Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation--Zarifou Ayeva                  
  Minister of Justice--Tchessa Abi                                            
  Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs--Kpatcha Gnassingbe                 
  Minister of Security--Col. Pitalouna-Ani Laokpessi                          
                                                                       
  Next Elections Scheduled                                                    
  Presidential elections--Not scheduled.                                      
  Legislative elections--September 2007.                                      
  Local elections--Not applicable.                                            
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  Subsistence agriculture and commerce are the main economic activities in    
  Togo; the majority of the population depends on subsistence agriculture. Food
  and cash crop production employs the majority of the labor force and        
  contributes about 42% to the gross domestic product (GDP). Coffee and cocoa 
  are traditionally the major cash crops for export, but cotton cultivation   
  increased rapidly in the 1990s, with 173,000 metric tons produced in 1999.  
  After a disastrous harvest in 2001 (113,000 metric tons), production        
  rebounded to 168,000 metric tons in 2002. Despite insufficient rainfall in  
  some areas, the Togolese Government has achieved its goal of self-sufficiency
  in food crops--corn, cassava, yams, sorghum, millet, and groundnut. Small and
  medium-sized farms produce most of the food crop; average farm size is one to
  three hectares.                                                             
                                                                       
  Commerce is the most important economic activity in Togo after agriculture, 
  and Lome is an important regional trading center. Its port operates 24 hours
  a day, mainly transporting goods to the inland countries of Mali, Burkina   
  Faso, and Niger. Lome's "Grand Marche" is known for its entrepreneurial     
  market women, who have a stronghold over many areas of trade, particularly in
  African cloth. In addition to textiles, Togo is an important center for     
  re-export of alcohol, cigarettes, perfume, and used automobiles to          
  neighboring countries. Recent years of political instability have, however, 
  eroded Togo's position as a trading center.                                 
                                                                       
  In the industrial sector, phosphates are Togo's most important commodity, and
  the country has an estimated 60 million metric tons of phosphate reserves.  
  From a highpoint of 2.7 million tons in 1997, production dropped to         
  approximately 1.3 million tons in 2002. The fall in production is partly the
  result of the depletion of easily accessible deposits and the lack of funds 
  for new investment. The formerly state-run company appears to have benefited
  from private management, which took over in 2001. Togo also has substantial 
  limestone and marble deposits.                                              
                                                                       
  Encouraged by the commodity boom of the mid-1970s, which resulted in a      
  four-fold increase in phosphate prices and sharply increased government     
  revenues, Togo embarked on an overly ambitious program of large investments 
  in infrastructure while pursuing industrialization and development of state 
  enterprises in manufacturing, textiles, and beverages. However, following   
  declines in world prices for commodities, its economy became burdened with  
  fiscal imbalances, heavy borrowing, and unprofitable state enterprises.     
                                                                       
  Togo turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance in 1979,
  while simultaneously implementing a stringent adjustment effort with the help
  of a series of IMF standby programs, World Bank loans, and Paris Club debt  
  rescheduling. Under these programs, the Togolese Government introduced a    
  series of austerity measures and major restructuring goals for the state    
  enterprise and rural development sectors. These reforms were aimed at       
  eliminating most state monopolies, simplifying taxes and customs duties,    
  curtailing public employment, and privatizing major state enterprises. Togo 
  made good progress under the international financial institutions' programs 
  in the late 1980s, but movement on reforms ended with the onset of political
  instability in 1990. With a new, elected government in place, Togo negotiated
  new 3-year programs with the World Bank and IMF in 1994.                    
                                                                       
  Togo returned to the Paris Club in 1995 and received Naples terms, the club's
  most concessionary rates. With the economic downturn associated with Togo's 
  political problems, scheduled external debt service obligations for 1994 were
  greater than 100% of projected government revenues (excluding bilateral and 
  multilateral assistance). In 2004, the IMF Staff Monitored Program designed 
  to restore macroeconomic stability and financial discipline was in a        
  suspended status. New IMF, World Bank and Africa Development Bank (ADB)     
  lending must await the willingness of Togo's traditional donors--the European
  Union, principally, but the U.S. also--to resume aid flows. Togo's          
  problematic legislative and presidential elections and the government's     
  unwillingness to transition from an Eyadema-led autocracy to democracy      
  deterred these donors from providing Togo with more aid. As of the fall 2002,
  Togo was $15 million in arrears to the World Bank and owed $3 million to the
  ADB.                                                                        
                                                                       
  Togo is one of 16 members of the Economic Community of West African States  
  (ECOWAS). The ECOWAS development fund is based in Lome. Togo also is a member
  of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), which groups seven 
  West African countries using the CFA franc. The West African Development Bank
  (BOAD), which is associated with UEMOA, is based in Lome. Togo long served as
  a regional banking center, but that position has been eroded by the political
  instability and economic downturn of the early 1990s. Historically, France  
  has been Togo's principal trading partner, although other European Union    
  countries are important to Togo's economy. Total U.S. trade with Togo amounts
  to about $16 million annually.                                              
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  Although Togo's foreign policy is nonaligned, it has strong historical and  
  cultural ties with western Europe, especially France and Germany. Togo      
  recognizes the People's Republic of China, North Korea, and Cuba. It        
  re-established relations with Israel in 1987.                               
                                                                       
  Togo pursues an active foreign policy and participates in many international
  organizations. It is particularly active in West African regional affairs and
  in the African Union. Relations between Togo and neighboring states are     
  generally good.                                                             
                                                                       
  U.S.-TOGOLESE RELATIONS                                                     
  Togo is a pro-Western, market-oriented country, and the United States and   
  Togo have had generally good relations since its independence, although the 
  United States has never been one of Togo's major trade partners. The largest
  share of U.S. exports to Togo generally has been used clothing and scrap    
  textiles. Other important U.S. exports include rice, wheat, shoes, and      
  tobacco products, and U.S. personal computers and other office electronics  
  are becoming more widely used.                                              
                                                                       
  The Government of Togo, with the support of the Overseas Private Investment 
  Corporation (OPIC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),
  established an export processing zone (EPZ) in Togo. The zone has attracted 
  private investors interested in manufacturing, assembly, and food processing,
  primarily for the export market. USAID closed its local office in 1994 and  
  runs local development programs from its office in Abidjan through          
  nongovernmental organizations in Togo.                                      
                                                                       
  Peace Corps began its work in Togo in 1962, and since that time has hosted  
  more than 2,200 Peace Corps Volunteers. Currently there are 100 Volunteers  
  serving in Togo. Volunteers have a successful history of collaboration and  
  involvement with the Togolese people at all levels. Their efforts build upon
  counterpart relationships and emphasize low-cost solutions that make maximum
  use of local resources. Partnering with local and international organizations
  is an important component of Volunteer project activities. Volunteers work to
  promote self-sufficiency in the areas of business development, education,   
  environment, and health. All Volunteers, regardless of sector, are trained in
  how to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.                           
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Officials                                                    
  Ambassador--David B. Dunn                                                   
  Deputy Chief of Mission--J.A. Diffily                                       
  Management Officer--vacant                                                  
  Public Affairs Officer--Mary Daschbach                                      
  Consular Officer--Amanda Jacobsen                                           
  Pol/Econ/Commercial Officer--Melanie Zimmerman                              
  Peace Corps Director--George Monagan                                        
                                                                       
  The U.S. Embassy is located on Boulevard Eyadema, Lomé (tel: 228-261-5470/1/2
  /3). The mailing address is B.P. 852, Lomé, Togo (international mail) and   
  AmEmbassy Lome, 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300 (by diplomatic   
  pouch).                                                                     
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
  The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans
  traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information Sheets, Public   
  Announcements, and Travel Warnings. Consular Information Sheets exist for all
  countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency  
  regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political       
  disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about    
  terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that  
  pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
  are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel 
  to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.        
                                                                       
  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
  should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet
  web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution,
  Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs    
  Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
  safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For    
  additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/     
  Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.                                  
                                                                       
  The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens traveling or residing   
  abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or
  at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your
  presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an 
  emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security 
  conditions.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained 
  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
  The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of   
  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
  information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service   
  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
  a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.           
                                                                       
  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
  and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A   
  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
  www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global     
  access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background    
  Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of 
  Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies  
  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
  Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market    
  information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free
  export counseling, help with the export process, and more.                  
  STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides   
  authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from  
  the Federal government. The site includes current and historical            
  trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, 
  and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.   

 

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