Japan gives Togo 2.4 billion FCFA for road maintenance training
The funds will equip the regional road maintenance training center with new machinery and enhance its operational capabilities.
Togo will receive 2.4 billion FCFA from Japan to boost the capabilities of the Regional Training Center for Road Maintenance (CERFER). An agreement for the grant, equivalent to 615 million Japanese yen, was signed on November 12 in Lomé. This funding will be used to purchase, transport, and install new equipment at the center to improve its teaching, technical, and operational capacities in road maintenance.
Togo's Minister of Finance and Budget, Georges Essowè Barcola, and Japan's Ambassador to Togo, Gomakubo Junji, signed the documents. Minister Barcola stated the agreement reflects a shared desire to strengthen the partnership through actions addressing priority needs. He highlighted the strategic role of road infrastructure in connecting regions, fostering trade, and improving mobility.
The Japanese ambassador announced a future technical cooperation project for road maintenance capacity building in French-speaking West Africa, including expert secondments and training. JICA's Togo representative, Kato Koichi, described the support as an investment in human resources for future infrastructure development. Japan aims to contribute to local skill development and improve connectivity in Togo and the wider West African sub-region.
Why it mattersThe Japanese grant will provide new equipment and training for road maintenance, directly impacting infrastructure development and trade connectivity in Togo and West Africa.