Barbados seeks stronger ties with Togo in business, cultural boost

Barbados is actively pursuing closer diplomatic relations with Togo, aiming to unlock new opportunities for trade, cultural exchange, and economic growth with a fast-growing trade hub in West Africa, Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, Senator Chad Blackman, said Monday.

He revealed plans to leverage Togo’s advanced infrastructure and fast-growing economy to benefit Barbadian businesses and entrepreneurs during the visit of a Togolese delegation to his office

Senator Blackman told reporters: “The purpose of it also this week is to explore how we can now build out, particularly for our business sector in Barbados, what are the opportunities Togo can present for our business sector, and by business sector, I don’t only mean the traditional  aspect of business where we mean to establish [large] companies, also our young entrepreneurs must see this an an opportunity for them to be able to tap into the fast-growing economy that is Togo.”

While diplomatic relations are formalised at the government level, the real focus will be on unlocking tangible benefits for citizens, he added.

He said: “These relationships of course are formalised at the government level, but it’s really now to unlock it for the benefit of the people. Our private sector, our creatives, our young people must now look at what the regulations are. If you are producing goods here, you must now ask yourself how can I get my goods into the Togolese market.

“Equally, it is about unlocking that partnership like we have never done before. I can tell you there is tremendous excitement certainly on the government’s behalf.”

He added: “Now is the time for us to really rekindle our lineage with Africa. Not only in an emotional sentiment because of course that is where we are from, but now do it in a way that brings tremendous success and opportunity to Barbadians and equally on the reverse side to [Togolese].”

In highlighting Togo’s advanced infrastructure, Blackman declared that the country is home to the largest port in West Africa, the capital Lomé, boasting state-of-the-art facilities.

“Togo has the largest port in West Africa, and when we visited last year [it’s] state of the art,” he said. “They can clear their cargo from the ship to the actual customer in 12 minutes. So these are the sorts of skillsets that we have to now leverage with Togo.”

Lomé port has over the last decade risen to become West Africa’s regional hub, seeing its cargo volumes increase from 300 ‘000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2013 to 1.5 million by 2019. It is in fierce competition with other ports in the region like Lekki in Nigeria, Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire and Tema in neighbouring Ghana.

The French-speaking nation was the site of the signing of the Lomé Conventions, the first regional trade agreements between the European Union and former colonial possessions in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, the ACP group. The third smallest nation in West Africa, Togo is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north.