Togo: TICAD 9, Towards the consolidation of cooperation focused on innovation and development between Lomé and Tokyo
The 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) opened on August 20, 2025, in Yokohama, with Togo’s President of the Council, Faure Gnassingbé, in attendance. The event provides a fresh opportunity for Togo to strengthen its cooperation with Japan.
Alongside other African leaders, President Gnassingbé highlighted Togo’s strategic priorities: infrastructure, food security, and digital innovation. In addition to the plenary sessions, bilateral meetings with Japanese officials and private investors aim to deepen economic and diplomatic ties between Lomé and Tokyo.
Togo and Japan already maintain strong relations. In late 2022, Japan mobilized nearly 41 billion yen (around 186 billion CFA francs) to support Togo, funding major projects such as the Sokodé bypass road, designed to improve the country’s logistical connectivity.
In trade, Togolese exports to Japan reached 2.27 billion yen in 2023, led by sesame and non-ferrous metals, while imports from Japan totaled 3.12 billion yen, dominated by fibers and machinery.
TICAD 9 could mark a new chapter in Togo-Japan cooperation. As Togo seeks to accelerate its economic transformation, the partnership with Japan stands out as a strategic lever, based on complementarity, trust, and a shared commitment to innovation.
