Togo: 18 billion CFA francs to strengthen the resilience of communities in the Savanes region
The Togolese government is shifting into higher gear in its strategy to support sensitive areas. Officially launched on Wednesday, February 25 in Lomé, the new action plan for the Emergency Program for the Savanes Region (PURS) covering the 2026-2027 period aims to coordinate interventions on the ground more effectively.
The stated ambition is clear: to reach precisely 433,758 direct beneficiaries, with a budget of 18 billion CFA francs (approximately $30 million).
Behind these figures are entire lives and families affected by this wave of enhanced assistance.
Three priority areas structure this new phase of the program. The first component focuses on protecting populations, with particular attention to gender-based violence and better consideration of security risks threatening this northern region.
The second axis concerns housing: providing decent shelter for displaced households currently living within host communities.
Finally, significant work will be undertaken on access to drinking water, hygiene, and sanitation; fundamental needs often strained in this context of demographic pressure.
“The success of this plan will depend on our ability to work together, to move beyond sectoral approaches, and to place communities at the heart of our interventions,” emphasized General Dadja Maganawé, national coordinator of PURS, stressing the need for a transversal and inclusive approach.
A Togolese model praised by international partners. Present at the ceremony, Coumba Sow, resident coordinator of the United Nations System in Togo, highlighted the uniqueness of the Togolese approach.
“Togo has chosen dignity, social cohesion, inclusion, and solidarity, by prioritizing the so-called out-of-camp policy where refugees live within host communities,” she declared, while acknowledging that this option generates significant pressure on already limited local infrastructure and resources.
She reaffirmed the unwavering support of technical and financial partners for this dynamic.
This new plan continues the efforts deployed over several years by Togolese authorities to strengthen the resilience of populations in the Savanes region, which faces security challenges shaking the Sahel.
A strategy that relies on community solidarity as the first line of defense against adversity.
Chantal Tawelessi
