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Togo
Overview
Country Overview
Togo shares borders with Benin, Burkina Faso and Ghana. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the south of the country, which is a narrow strip of land rising behind coastal lagoons and swampy plains to an undulating plateau. Northwards, the plateau descends to a wide plain irrigated by the River Oti. The central area is covered by deciduous forest while savannah stretches to the north and south. In the east, the River Mono runs to the sea; long sandy beaches shaded by palms characterise the coastline between Lomé and Cotonou in Benin. Togo’s capital, Lomé, is the only capital in the world which is situated right next to a border. The city itself is a mixture of the traditional, especially around the Grand Marché, and the modern. The fetish market, with its intriguing voodoo charms, lotions and potions, is an interesting place to wander. Togo’s wildlife parks include the Fazao National Park outside Sokodé, the Kéran National Park near Kara and the Fosse aux Lions (Lions’ Den) southwest of Dapaong. There are numerous nightclubs, particularly in Lomé; most serve food and are open until the early hours for dancing to a mixture of West African and Western popular music.
General Information
Area: 56,785 sq km (21,925 sq miles).
Population: 5,018,500 (2000).
Population Density: 77.4 per sq km.
Capital: Lomé. Population: 700,000 (1997).
GEOGRAPHY: Togo shares borders with Burkina Faso to the north, Benin to the east and Ghana to the west, with a short coast on the Atlantic in the south. The country is a narrow strip, rising behind coastal lagoons and swampy plains to an undulating plateau. Northwards, the plateau descends to a wide plain irrigated by the River Oti. The central area is covered by deciduous forest, while savannah stretches to the north and south. In the east, the River Mono runs to the sea; long sandy beaches shaded by palms characterise the coastline between Lomé and Cotonou in Benin.
Government: Republic since 1967. Gained independence from France in 1960. Head of State: President Gnassingbé Eyadéma since 1967. Head of Government: Prime Minister Kodjo Messan Agbeyome since 2000.
Language: French is the official language, while Ewe, Watchi and Kabiyé are the most widely spoken African languages. Very little English is spoken.
Religion: 50 per cent Traditional or Animist, 35 per cent Christian and 15 per cent Muslim.
Time: GMT.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz single phase. Plugs are square or round two-pin.
Communications:
Telephone
IDD is available to main cities. Country code: 228. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 00.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900 network covers main urban areas. Operators include Togo Telecom (website: www.togotel.net.tg) and Telecel Togo (website: www.telecel.tg).
Fax
Available in Internet cafes.
Internet
ISPs include Togo Telecom (website: www.togotel.net.tg). Public access is available in Internet cafes all over the country.
Telegram
The telegram service is dependable; messages to France and West Africa are less expensive.
Post
Postal facilities are limited to main towns. Post Restante facilities are available and are very reliable. Airmail to Western Europe takes at least two weeks.
Press
The main newspaper is the government-owned Togo-Presse, published in French, Kabiyé and Ewe. Les Echos du Matin is an independent daily.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Passport/Visa
| | Passport Required? | Visa Required? | Return Ticket Required? | | British | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Australian | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Canadian | Yes | Yes | Yes | | USA | Yes | Yes | Yes | | OtherEU | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Japanese | Yes | Yes | Yes |
PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all, except nationals of the following with a National Identity Card: Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal.
Note: For nationals of countries without diplomatic representation in Togo, passports must be valid for six months beyond the date of departure.
VISAS: Required by all except the following for stays of up to 90 days:
(a) nationals of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea (Rep of), Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone;
(b) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft within 24 hours, provided not leaving the airport;
(c) children under 15 if accompanied by their parents.
Note: All nationals can obtain an entry visa on arrival in Togo for a maximum stay of up to seven days.
Types of visa and cost: Entry visas: CFAfr 10,000-35,000 (up to 30 days); CFAfr 17,500-60,000 (up to three months); CFAfr 35,000-90,000 (three to six months).
Fee depends on nationality. All nationals of the USA will be issued a visa for a maximum stay of 12 months for a fee of approximately US$20.
Validity: Entry visas: Up to 90 days. Visas can be extended on arrival in Lomé at the Direction Générale de la Police Nationale for visits not exceeding six months.
Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.
Application requirements: (a) Completed application form. (b) Three passport-size photos. (c) Yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers over one year of age. (d) Fee. (e) Company letter for business trips.
Working days required: Two.
Money
Currency: CFA (Communauté Financiaire Africaine) Franc (CFAfr) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of CFAfr10,000, 5000, 2500, 2000, 1000 and 500. Coins are in denominations of CFAfr250, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1. Togo is part of the French Monetary Area. Only currency issued by the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Bank of West African States) is valid; currency issued by the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale (Bank of Central African States) is not. The CFA Franc is tied to the Euro.
Currency exchange: Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and bureaux de change in Lomé and other major cities. The main branch of the Togolese Central Bank in Lomé (BTCI) can give cash withdrawals against a Visa card.
Credit & debit cards: American Express is widely accepted, with more limited use of Diners Club, Visa and MasterCard. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other facilities which may be available.
Travellers cheques: International travellers cheques are accepted in Lomé and other major cities.
Currency restrictions: The import of local currency is limited to CFAfr1 million, the export to CFAfr25,000. The import of foreign currency is limited to the equivalent of CFAfr1,000,000, which should be declared on arrival. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on entry.
Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the CFA Franc against Sterling and the US Dollar:
| Date | May ’02 | Aug ’02 | Nov ’02 | Feb ’03 | | £1.00= | 1035.90 | 1025.70 | 1038.27 | 966.15 | | $1.00= | 710.84 | 674.41 | 656.55 | 606.78 |
Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Togo by persons over 15 years of age without incurring customs duty:
100 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 100g of tobacco; 1 bottle of spirits and 1 bottle of wine; 500ml of eau de toilette and 250ml of perfume.
Public Holidays
Dec 6-8 2002 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Jan 13 Liberation Day. Feb 12 Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice). Apr 21 Easter Monday. Apr 27 Independence Day. May 1 Labour Day. May 29 Ascension. Jun 9 Whit Monday. Jun 21 Day of the Martyrs. Aug 15 Assumption. Sep 24 Anniversary of the failed attack on Lomé. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Nov 26-28 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Jan 13 Liberation Day. Feb 2 Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice). Apr 12 Easter Monday. Apr 27 Independence Day. May 1 Labour Day. May 20 Ascension. May 31 Whit Monday. Jun 21 Day of the Martyrs. Aug 15 Assumption. Sep 24 Anniversary of the failed attack on Lomé. Nov 1 All Saints’ Day. Nov 14-16 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day.
Note: Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Tabaski (Eid al-Adha) may last anything from two to ten days, depending on the region. For more information, see the World of Islam appendix.
Health
| | Special Precautions | Certificate Required | | Yellow Fever | Yes | 1 | | Cholera | 2 | No | | Typhoid and Polio | 3 | N/A | | Malaria | 4 | N/A |
1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers over one year of age.
2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not a condition of entry to Togo. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. See the Health appendix for more information.
3: Vaccination against typhoid is advised.
4: Malaria risk exists throughout the year in the whole country. The predominant malignant falciparum form is reported to be resistant to chloroquine. The recommended prophylaxis is mefloquine.
Food & drink: All water should be regarded as a potential health risk. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) is reported, as are hepatitis A, B and E and meningococcal meningitis. Dracuncaliasis is common in the indigenous population, but unlikely to pose a significant threat to travellers. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.
Health care: Limited medical services are provided by the state. Most towns have either a hospital or a dispensary, but these are usually overcrowded and lack adequate supplies. Visitors who get seriously ill are advised to contact their Embassy, which can refer them to a specialist or arrange evacuation. Health insurance and a good supply of personal medical provisions are recommended. There is no reciprocal health agreement with the UK or USA. It is important to carry a basic first aid kit.
Travel - International
AIR: The main airline running services to Togo is Air Afrique (RK), in which Togo is a shareholder. Other airlines operating to Togo include Air France, Air Gabon and Delta Airlines. Togo has become an important transit point for air travel in Africa. There are frequent flights to major African destinations.
Approximate flight times: From Lomé to London is 7 hours.
International airports: Lomé (LFW) is 6km (4 miles) northeast of the city. Airport facilities include bar, restaurant, snack bar, shops, bank, post office, duty-free shop (1000-2100 in transit/arrival halls) and car hire. Taxis operate from 0600 until the last flight (fare CFAfr2000-5000) to the city centre.
Departure tax: None.
SEA: Ferries from Benin and Ghana call at Lomé and coastal ports. For details, contact the port authorities. Cunard and Princess cruise lines operate to Togo.
ROAD: There are routes from Benin, Burkina Faso and Ghana (a coastal route runs from Benin through Lomé to Ghana) but conditions are unreliable. The border with Ghana is closed from time to time.
Travel - Internal
AIR: Air Togo runs services between Niamtougou and Lomé on Friday and Sunday.
SEA: Ferries run along the coast. For details, contact the port authorities.
RAIL: There are services between Lomé, Atakpamé and Blitta; Lomé and Kpalimé; and Lomé and Aného. Trains run at least daily on each route.
ROAD: Traffic drives on the right. Tarred roads run to the border countries and the major northern route is called ‘The Highway of Unity’. There are roads linking most settlements, but these are largely impassable during the rainy season. Police checkpoints are frequent and may cause delays. It is advisable to keep windows rolled up and doors locked. Bus/taxi: National bus and taxi systems are reasonably efficient and cheap. Taxis and minibuses are widely available in Lomé and shared taxis are available between towns. There is a surcharge for luggage. Drivers do not expect a tip. Cycling: Bicycles can be rented in large towns and often incur less delays than cars. Car hire: This is available in Lomé; elsewhere the cost of hire cars is very high and it is usually better to hire a taxi. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required.
Accommodation
HOTELS: Only Lomé and Lama-Kara have international-class accommodation but there are hotels in all the main towns. There is a severe shortage of accommodation, so it is advisable to book in advance. For further information, contact the Office National Togolais du Tourisme (see Contact Addresses section).
CAMPING: This is available free of charge though not recommended. Check with rangers before camping in National Parks.
Introduction
Togo’s capital, Lomé, is the only capital in the world situated right next to a border. The city itself is a mixture of the traditional, especially around the Grand Marché, and the modern. The fetish market, with its intriguing voodoo charms, lotions and potions, and the Village Artisanal are interesting places to wander. The coast is rather disappointing and visitors have to leave the city well behind to find a nice spot.
Other towns of interest include Togoville, where the colonial treaty between the Germans and the ruler Mlapa III was signed. The chief still shows copies of the treaty to visitors. In the village itself, there are numerous voodoo shrines and the Roman Catholic Cathedral, built by the Germans. The nearby Lake Togo is popular with watersports enthusiasts. Aného, Togo’s colonial capital until 1920, has preserved a distinctively colonial atmosphere, reflected in such attractions as the 19th-century Peter and Paul Church, the Protestant Church and the German Cemetery. The short coastline is home to several small fishing villages, sometimes with examples of colonial architecture.
Togo’s wildlife parks include the Fazao National Park outside Sokodé, the Kéran National Park near Kara and the Fosse aux Lions (Lions’ Den) southwest of Dapaong.
Sport & Activities
Beaches are unsafe for all but the best swimmers, but there are several pools along the beach at Lomé. Hotel pools and the lakeside resort of Porto Seguro (a short drive from Lomé) offer safe swimming: Hotel Sarkawa has an olympic-sized pool, the biggest in West Africa. There are also water-skiing and sailing facilities at Porto Seguro. The scenic hill country around Kapilmé offers good opportunities for hiking.
Social Profile
Food & Drink: Togon food is particularly good. Most restaurants catering for visitors tend to be French orientated, although some do serve African dishes. In Lomé in particular, there are many small cafes serving local food. Dishes include meals in sauce, soups based on palm nut, groundnut and maize. Meat, poultry and seafoods are plentiful and well prepared, as are the local fruit and vegetables. A popular dish is riz sauce arachide – rice with peanut sauce.
A good selection of alcoholic drinks is available – some produced locally such as palm wine and tchakpallo (fermented millet).
Nightlife: There are numerous nightclubs, particularly in Lomé. Most serve food and are open until the early hours for dancing to a mixture of West African and Western popular music. There are also cinemas showing French and English-language films.
Shopping: Market purchases include wax prints, indigo cloth, Kente and dye-stamped Adinkira cloth from Ghana, embroideries, batik and lace from The Netherlands, locally-made heavy marble ashtrays, gold and silver jewellery, traditional masks, wood sculpture and religious statuettes. Voodoo stalls display an extraordinary range of items used in magic, among them, cowrie shells. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1730, Sat 0730-1230.
Special Events: The following is a selection of festivals and special events celebrated annually in Togo:
Mid-Jul Evala (initiation ceremonies, a custom which involves traditional wrestling), Kabiyé region; Akpema (girls’ initiation ceremonies), Kabiyé region. Aug Kpessosso (a harvest festival of the Guens); Ayize (Bean Harvest Festival celebrated by the Ewe). Sep (first Thursday) Agbogbozan (Ewe Diaspora Festival); (first week) Dipontre (Yam Festival), Bassar region. Dec Kamou (Harvest Festival), Kabiyé region.
Social Conventions: Music and dance are the most popular forms of culture. The Togolese have had a varied colonial heritage which has resulted in the variety of Christian denominations and European languages; the voodoo religion is a strong influence in the country and many young girls, after fulfilling an initiation period, will devote their lives to serving the religion and the voodoo village priest. Practical, casual clothes are suitable. Beachwear should not be worn away from the beach or poolside. Tipping: When not included, a tip of about ten per cent is customary. Taxi drivers do not usually expect a tip.
Business Profile
Economy: About two-thirds of the working population is employed in agriculture: a wide range of crops are produced including cotton, cocoa and coffee (the main cash crops) and basic foodstuffs including cassava, maize, yams and sorghum. Togo’s other major principal exports are the ores from the country’s phosphate mines, although revenues have been hit recently by slack demand and low world prices. Limestone and marble deposits have also been exploited. The mines contain some of the world’s richest calcium deposits. Most of Togo’s other industry is based on the processing of these agricultural and mineral products, apart from a handful of factories engaged in the production of textiles and consumer goods for domestic consumption. A successful export processing zone, now entering its second decade of operation, has attracted numerous manufacturers from across the world.
The country’s main economic problems are a huge foreign debt and declining revenues due to low world commodity prices. A programme of structural adjustment undertaken under the supervision of the IMF and World Bank has stalled, although privatisation of the remaining state-owned corporations continues apace. Current annual GDP growth is three per cent while inflation is just under five per cent. Togo is a member of the CFA Franc Zone, the West African trading bloc ECOWAS and various international commodity organisations. Togo’s principal trading partners are France, Canada, the United States and Côte d'Ivoire; other important export markets are Bolivia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Business: It is acceptable for visiting business people to wear a safari suit except on very formal business and social occasions. Business is conducted in French, only a few executives speak English. Appointments should be made and business cards should be carried. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0700-1730.
Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie du Togo (CCAIT), BP 360, avenue Georges Pompidou, Lomé (tel: 212 065; fax: 214 730; e-mail: ccit@rdd.tg; website: www.ccit.tg).
Climate
From December to January, the Harmattan wind blows from the north. The rainy season lasts from April to July. Short rains occur from October to November. The driest and hottest months are February and March.
Required clothing: Tropical lightweights. Rainwear for the rainy season.
History and Government
History: At the turn of the 15th century, the area that is now Togo was populated by the Kwa people and tribes from along the Volta river. Over the next 200 years, these were joined by Ewe people from Nigeria and the Ane from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. During the 1700s, the coastal region was occupied by Danish colonists who controlled the slave trade in the region. By the late-19th century, the Danes had been replaced by Germans who established the protectorate of Togoland and used slave labour to develop agricultural plantations, although outlawing slavery in 1885. The administration was overthrown by a joint Anglo-French force early in World War I. Then, in 1922, the country was divided into a French-controlled eastern region and a British-occupied western sector, each of which was governed under a League of Nations mandate. After a UN-sponsored referendum in 1956, the British sector merged with the neighbouring colony of Gold Coast to form Ghana, while later in the year, the French part chose to become the autonomous Republic of Togo. It was granted full independence in 1960.
The civilian government that took power at this point lasted just seven years, before a military coup brought Lieutenant-Colonel Etienne Gnassingbe Eyadéma to power in January 1967. Eyadéma has remained in office ever since – affording him the distinction of being the world’s longest continuously serving head of state – with the support of the country’s sole political party, the Rassemblement du Peuple Togolais (RPT). Eyadéma’s authoritarian style of government spawned numerous opponents and several coup attempts were directed against him. Surprisingly then, Togo was initially in the vanguard of the democratic revolution which swept Africa during 1991. In August 1991, a national conference of the country’s major political forces was convened to chart the path to democratic government. The conference stripped Eyadéma of his executive powers (although he retained his position) and installed a transitional administration, the High Council of the Republic, led by Kokou Koffigoh. However, in late November 1991, the government made a serious tactical error by banning the RPT, Eyadéma’s political power base. Threatened with a complete loss of political power, the army mutinied, determined to bring Koffigoh down. The arrival of French paratroops in neighbouring Benin brought the violence to a halt. After negotiations between Eyadéma and Koffigoh, a compromise solution was reached, under which Koffigoh would remain in office at the head of a ‘government of national unity’ to oversee the transitional process.
During 1992, political turbulence continued in Togo. Multi-party elections were repeatedly postponed and it became evident that Eyadéma was determined to hold on to power, come what may. When the poll was eventually held in August 1993, several of the principal opposition parties boycotted it; those that did not were disqualified anyway. Despite intense international pressure, Eyadéma clung to power. The next two years were a period of great political tension, which was eventually defused when the combined opposition of the Comité d’Action pour le Renouveau (CAR) and the Union Togolaise pour la Démocratie (UTD) won the 1994 national assembly elections. Edem Kodjo was appointed prime minister by Eyadéma. At the most recent presidential election in June 1998, Eyadéma was convincingly re-elected, despite evidence of extensive fraud and intimidation of political opponents. By 2002, with his second and final term under the new 1993 constitution drawing to a close, Eyadéma began to exert pressure to allow him a third term, should he win the scheduled presidential election due in June 2003. The most recent national assembly elections were held in October 2002 – for the third time in succession, they were boycotted by all the main opposition parties, giving victory by default to the RPT. (This is exactly what had happened three years earlier, except, on that occasion, the result was nullified and the poll re-run. The 2002 effort was, in a sense, the re-run).
Government: The 1993 constitution allows for an executive president directly elected for a five-year term. The legislature is the unicameral Assemblée Nationale, whose 81 members are also directly elected for five years.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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