(L-R) Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation & Humanitarian Affairs; Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé, Prime Minister of Togo;
Credit: MAE
On Thursday 28 March 2024, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel, paid a working visit to Togo.
As reported by Luxembourg's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Minister Bettel participated in an interministerial session in Lomé whose objective was to identify potential avenues for development cooperation. This meeting brought together, on the Togolese side, Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah Dogbé, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad, Robert Dussey, the Minister of Digital Economy and Digital Transformation, Cina Lawson, Minister of Environment and Forest Resources, Katari Foli-Bazi, Minister of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education, Komla Dodzi Kokoroko, Minister of Grassroots Development, Youth and Youth Employment, Myriam Dossou de Souza-D'Almeida, and the Minister of Financial Inclusion, Mazamesso Assih. Discussions focused on Togo's development plans as well as the expertise offered by Luxembourg Cooperation.
The interministerial meeting resulted in the signing of a letter of understanding related to the strengthening of development cooperation relations by Ministers Bettel and Dussey, providing for closer collaboration in the sectors of education, vocational and technical training and professional integration, digitalisation as well as the environment and the response to climate change. The theme of good governance was chosen as a transversal axis. Opportunities for cooperation in other areas of common interest may also be added, noted the Luxembourg ministry. The latter added that this letter of understanding marks the desire of both sides to strengthen their cooperation partnership and constitutes the first step towards the development of a Cooperation Agreement between Luxembourg and Togo.
"With the signing of this letter of understanding, we are today laying the foundations for deepening the cooperation partnership between Luxembourg and Togo," stated Minister Bettel during the signing ceremony. "I am delighted with this first step towards closer cooperation, which will be based on the development priorities and vision of Togo as well as the priorities of Luxembourg Cooperation."
In the Togolese capital, Minister Bettel also had bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Tomegah Dogbé and Foreign Minister Robert Dussey. While the meeting with the Prime Minister allowed for deeper discussions on the envisaged sectors of cooperation, the discussions with Minister Dussey focused in particular on the situation in Togo and political developments in West Africa.
