The Government of Togo in its determination to make Togo an open, united and prosperous country has made a special place for the diaspora in the mobilisation of domestic resources, internal as well as external, for development.
Indeed, there are tens of thousands Togolese nationals living in Africa, Europe or North America. Many of them are graduates, entrepreneurs, employed in highly skilled jobs and often are project developers, building on their varying experiences. This is a treasured pool of skills to which the authorities have been paying a particular attention for many years.
How to organise Togolese from outside so that they can participate effectively in the country’s development and bring their contribution no matter how modest it is? What are the right conditions to promote their investment? What administrative, legal and financial instruments are needed to facilitate and promote the contribution of the Togolese Diaspora? How to optimise the contribution of these individuals as a resource available for the country’s development?
All these questions have led the government to develop a Diaspora mobilisation plan through the implementation of the program « Initiatives for the use of expertise and other resources of the Togolese Diaspora », commonly known as Diaspora Program.
The authorities hope to entice executives and entrepreneurs and convince those who have the means to invest in the country to create jobs and wealth.
In all cases, they want to help maintain links between homeland and compatriots living abroad. This is why important measures have been adopted including: the visa waiver to Togolese Diaspora and the creation of passport renewal units, often mobile, with the aim to move the diplomatic and consular services as close as possible to Togolese from outside.
