Togo: strengthening business-investor synergies

The Ministry of Investment Promotion organized a strategic meeting on inter-business relations, aimed at strengthening ties between large companies and investors. This event, held last Friday, was supported by German cooperation through GIZ.

The meeting brought together representatives of Very Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (VSEs), experts, and representatives of the Republic's institutions. The main objective was to discuss ways and means to improve relations between large companies and investors setting up in Togo.

Sikpa Atsouvi Yawo, Director General of API-ZF (Investment Promotion and Free Zone Agency), said: "During this meeting, we will hear the views of several stakeholders, from the private and public sectors, international organizations, and civil society. We will need to find best practices to optimize the impact of private investment on MSMEs." He also emphasized the importance of collaboration between MSMEs and large companies to maximize the beneficial effects on the national economy.

This initiative follows a preliminary diagnostic study on the links between companies, and resulted in the adoption of a roadmap aimed at facilitating the creation of synergies. Rodrigue Akue-Atsa, advisor to the Ministry of Investment Promotion, explained: "The goal is to create a synergy so that as soon as a foreign investor sets up, he has an easy link with our local companies so that these investments, indirectly, also benefit our SMEs that are already on the ground."

A few months ago, Togo launched the Regional Institutional Platforms for the Promotion and Facilitation of Investments (PIRPFI), with the aim of attracting more foreign investment. These platforms aim to structure an environment conducive to collaboration between foreign investors and local businesses, with a view to stimulating economic growth.

This meeting on May 17 marks a significant step towards achieving this objective, by laying the foundations for enhanced collaboration between the country's economic stakeholders and international investors. The synergy thus created is intended to ensure that foreign investments fully benefit the Togolese economy and its SMEs, by integrating them into the value chains of large companies.

THE EMISSARY