Togo at a Glance

• Population: Estimated 5.4 million


• Capital city: Lomé, approx. 1 million Inhabitants


• Language: French and roughly 40 tribal languages, dominating in the South: Ewe/Mina, in the North: Kabyè


• Religions: 20% Catholics; 10% Protestants; 30% Muslims; the others belong to Animists beliefs


• Form of government: Presidential System with two chambers

Economy

Between 1960 and 1991, Germany pledged Togo a total of some 630 million euro in development assistance. The most important financial cooperation projects were the Lomé deep-sea port, as well as projects in the spheres of electricity and water supply and road construction. German technical cooperation focused on rural development in the central region, plant protection, afforestation and the timber industry, the medical sector, vocational and technical basic and further training, as well as veterinary medicine.

Due to the political situation and the unsatisfactory human rights situation, bilateral development cooperation with Togo has been suspended since 1993. However, four development aid projects of direct benefit to the population were continued (urban health in Lomé, basic health care and rural development in the central region, promotion of crafts). Furthermore, church charities, private organizations, political foundations and the German Development Service have continued their effective work on the ground with the Togolese population. Germany's contribution towards multilateral measures (World Bank, IMF, UNDP, etc.) has been made in full. The key prerequisite for the resumption of development aid are transparent elections on the basis of democratic structures, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Culture and Science

Cultural relations are mainly promoted by the Goethe Institute in Lomé, which runs cultural programmes, offers German courses and supports German classes in schools and the University of Lomé. German is an optional subject in roughly 90 schools. There are about 140 Togolese German teachers for some 20,000 students of German. A pedagogical adviser is available in Togo to guide teachers. The University of Lomé has a German Department, in which about 400 students are taught by Togolese lecturers. The lecture post financed by the German Academic Exchange Service, which became vacant in 2003 was filled in October 2004. In 2004 we can look back on 120 years of German-Togolese relations (1884–2004).

Links

www.republicoftogo.com (Official Representation of Togo in Germany)
www.ub.tg (University of Lomé)
www.ded.de (German Development Service)