Togo is located in West Africa bordered in the east by the Benin Republic, west by Ghana, north by Niger and in the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Togo is currently riddled with massive unemployment which contributes to its socio-economic problems especially extreme poverty. This has affected the level of education of children, encourage child labor, led to hunger and malnutrition. Togo strength of Agriculture and its mineral potential has not been fully exploited but could be unlocked through blended financing that will create jobs and reduce poverty.

1. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1AOMHleCXeFuZ_MfNyBV
ah9p-
lyC6qOAN91r516dtz7o/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000
Sustainable Approaches to Poverty Reduction in Togo in a
Post-Sustainable Development Goals Period
Figure 1. The Flag and Map of Togoi

2. Togo is one of the smallest countries in the world located in West Africa. It is a francophone
country bordered in the east by the Republic of Benin, west by Ghana, North by the Niger Republic
and in the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Its population was 7,304,5787 in 2015.ii
The poverty level in Togo is high. Togo rural population of 81.2 percent lives below the poverty
line of on less than 2 US dollar daily thereby making it one of the world’s poorest nation.iii Togo’s
life expectancy is only 56 years, and about half of its population are under 18 years of age.iv
PICTURES 1. Poverty and Children in Togov

3. PICTURES 2. Poverty and Children in Togovi

4. There is massive unemployment in Togo which contributes to its socio-economic problems. Togo
unemployment rate was undergoing a downward trend with an all-time high of 7.10 percent in
2007 to a record low of 6.90 percent by 2013vii. The massive unemployment contributes to the
pain of the growing poverty in Togo. The extreme poverty in Togo has led to 50% participation in
primary and secondary education which is related to the low level of adult literacy, hunger and
malnutrition and child labor is about 30%viii.
Figure 2

5. Togo in 1980 was a sub-regional business center with commercial dynamism with export potential
but decade’s pf political and social tensions has led the majority of partners to suspend their
financial cooperation with the country which has affected the economic and social situations
thereby deterring process of national developmentix
Nevertheless, Togo has been supported by the World Bank for some time in order to promote
poverty reduction. The IBRA/IDA operation approved by the fiscal year 2016 was 15 million
dollarsx. However, Togo has the potential of improving its economic status through increasing
domestic public resources mobilization and improving public expenditure efficiency.
Togo strength and potential in agriculture may need to be exploited, and its rich mineral resources
(limestone, phosphate, and marble) needs to be maximized. This will at the end increase the
revenue that is needed for development and reduction of poverty. The bane of revenue generation
in Togo is tied on infrastructural development such include the Lome Port which will encourage
export of its agricultural materials and its mineral resources, development of the roads
infrastructure will also be essential in the transportation link for its export produce, and power
potential will need to be exploited and developed. There will be need of liberalization of
investment. This will improve tax space and generate revenue for the government for development.
It is of note that transparent economy must be encouraged in order for the private and foreign
investor to be involved in the economy.
The Lome port will need to be maximally utilized in the region by servicing the hinterlands and
another neighbor. Thereby, the nation will need the support of International Development
Assistance (IDA) for its infrastructural development in conjunction with private funding especially
in roads, energy, health, and education.
This development potential and infrastructure acquisition will unlock the wealth of the nation,
which could be plunge back into the economy thereby giving it a boost. Thus, there will be the
creation of micro and macro industries that creates jobs and at the end reduce poverty in every
facet of the economy at the end reducing the level of poverty.

6. i http://www.gafspfund.org/content/togo
ii
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=TG
iii
https://www.unicef.org/wcaro/Countries_togo.html
iv http://www.borgenmagazine.com/poverty-togo/
v
http://togoafrica.weebly.com/
vi http://togoafrica.weebly.com/
vii http://www.tradingeconomics.com/togo/unemployment-rate
viii http://www.borgenmagazine.com/poverty-togo/
ix Ayenagbo, K.,Johnson K., , TchalimT., , Kimatu J. and Nguhi S. (2013). Analysis of Togo’s economic and socio-
political situation:challenges and perspectives.African Journal of Business Management.
http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBM
x
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=TG