Togo and the United Arab Emirates are strengthening their cooperation. The two countries signed, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, a reciprocal visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic passports.
Signed by Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, the agreement aims to facilitate official travel between Lomé and Abu Dhabi and strengthen exchanges between officials of the two countries.
Beyond simplifying travel, the agreement is also intended to facilitate the monitoring of the various areas of bilateral cooperation. "When diplomacy moves more freely, partnerships move forward,” Robert Dussey said at the signing.
Cooperation Extending Beyond Diplomacy
This new agreement comes as relations between Togo and the United Arab Emirates have gradually expanded into several strategic sectors, including infrastructure, logistics, energy and business financing.
In March 2019, during an official visit to Abu Dhabi, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé notably visited the Khalifa Industrial Zone (KIZAD), a platform bringing together industrial, commercial, logistics and port activities.
The visit provided an opportunity to examine the UAE’s experience in developing logistics platforms and enhancing port infrastructure, as Lomé seeks to strengthen its role as a commercial and logistics hub in West Africa around its port.
Support for SMEs at the Heart of the Partnership
Economic cooperation between the two countries has also materialized through the Khalifa Fund.
In 2019, Togo and the Emirati institution concluded a $15 million financing agreement aimed notably at supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, with particular attention to the agricultural sector.
The financing was intended to support new projects and promote job creation.
Energy, Another Strategic Area
The energy sector is also an important component of the partnership.
In March 2019, Emirati group AMEA Power signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of a solar power plant in Blitta, notably with financial support from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
The facility was designed to strengthen the national energy supply and help reduce Togo’s dependence on electricity imports.
With this new diplomatic visa exemption agreement, Lomé and Abu Dhabi are thus adding another tool to a partnership that has gradually diversified. Diplomacy, infrastructure, SME financing and energy now constitute several of the main areas of this bilateral partnership.