Togo

Overview

Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a narrow country in West Africa bordering Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. The country extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. After years of political unrest and condemnation from international organisations for human rights abuses, Togo is finally being re-welcomed into the international community.

Economy

Togo’s small, sub-Saharan economy depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for a significant proportion of its labour force. Many basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is among the world's largest producers of phosphate and is actively seeking to develop its carbonate phosphate reserves. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow through on privatisation, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.

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