Togo: First Meeting of Experts and Stakeholders Implementing the Social Cohesion Project (COSO)
The Social Cohesion Project (COSO) is a regional project established in 2022 between Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and the World Bank Group. To exchange the findings from diagnostic studies on social cohesion conducted in the four countries, a forum gathered administrative and local authorities, project teams from different countries, representatives from public and private services, civil society organizations, as well as partners and community representatives for two days.
Issues related to Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) will be addressed. Participants will propose guidelines and make recommendations aimed at achieving COSO’s objectives.
The Minister of Grassroots Development, Youth, and Youth Employment, Mrs. Myriam Dossou d’Almeida, emphasized that the convening of this forum illustrates the pursuit of peace not only through investments but especially through dialogue and cooperation around common challenges. She expressed the hope that discussions would lead to regional solutions to prevent the spread of conflicts, reduce vulnerability to climate change, and manage regional disparities in these disadvantaged northern regions.
The World Bank’s Resident Representative in Togo, Fily Sissoko, highlighted some results achieved through the implementation of this sub-regional project. «In the case of Togo, 563 investments in socio-economic infrastructure have been approved, with 96 already completed, mainly in border areas with Burkina Faso. These investments cover sectors such as education, health, energy, water and hydraulics, grassroots development, environment, and sanitation», he explained.
Mr. Sissoko added that a thousand investments in local infrastructure have also been implemented and launched in the other three countries. He encouraged national stakeholders to accelerate the pace of project implementation for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. The Resident Representative urged them to remain committed to regional collaborations to turn challenges into opportunities and lead the Gulf of Guinea region toward a better future.
It’s worth noting that the COSO project targets communities in the northern border regions exposed to risks and effects of fragility, conflict, violence, and climate change.
