Bordered by the Gulf of Guinea, Togo intends to transform its 50 kilometers of coastline into a real lever for growth. At the 3ᵉ United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), which opened this Monday in Nice, the country reaffirmed its determination to make the blue economy a central pillar of its sustainable development.
Led by a committed delegation, Togo's participation is in line with a strategic vision pursued at the highest level of government by President Faure Gnassingbé. The promotion of sustainable fishing, the development of responsible aquaculture, the protection of marine ecosystems and the expansion of maritime transport are the main thrusts of this strategy.
The autonomous port of Lomé, now a key logistics hub in the sub-region, embodies this potential. But Togo doesn't stop there. The country is banking on the modernization of fishing techniques, the fight against illegal fishing, the reduction of coastal erosion and the conservation of marine biodiversity to strengthen the resilience of its coastal communities.
Pilot projects have been launched to support this dynamic, while the national legal framework has been strengthened to provide a better framework for maritime activities and combat pollution. Togo is also keen to attract investment in green port infrastructure, marine renewable energies and protected area monitoring systems.
In a global context where Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) - dedicated to aquatic life - remains one of the least funded, Lomé is calling for greater mobilization of international partners. "It is imperative to transform our ambitions into concrete actions, and this requires equitable access to blue financing", emphasizes a representative of the Togolese delegation in Nice.
Blue diplomacy
On the regional scene, Togo is positioning itself as a key player in maritime governance in Africa. Initiator of the Lomé Charter on Maritime Safety in 2016, the country is now pursuing its commitment through proactive and structured blue diplomacy.
In Nice, Togo is not content to simply take its place in the concert of nations: it is asserting itself as a key player in the African blue economy, determined to make the ocean an engine for inclusive and sustainable development.
English 
French 
Spanish 
German 