DUBAI, The West African nation of Togo celebrated its National Day at Expo 2020 on Tuesday with a visit from Her Excellency Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe, Prime Minister of the Republic of Togo, and a spirited performance by the country’s best-known musical group, Toofan.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Johnson Banka, Commissioner General of the Republic of Togo at Expo 2020 Dubai, was welcomed by His Excellency Sheikh Shakboot Nahyan Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of State, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
HE Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe said: “In its march towards progress, Togo has made digital technology a priority. This explains our pavilion’s slogan, which is ‘Inclusion of digital technology in development’. To achieve this, we have prepared the Government Roadmap 2020-2025 that promotes social inclusion and harmony, and proposes job creation through 42 projects and reforms, 75 per cent of which have a digital component.
“Our goal is to provide a digital identity to all residents living in Togo, and to develop innovative digital registries and tools to better target, support and monitor the most vulnerable populations. This will make it possible to improve people’s access to basic social services, especially in the health, education and social security sectors.”
HE Sheikh Shakboot said: “Togo’s pavilion is inspired by the country’s vision of reconciling tradition and modernity through digital information and communication technologies. The exhibition showcases Togo’s best practices in terms of sustainability, and economic and social resilience through digital technology, and highlights the country’s long-term vision for development through the use of smart spaces.
“Through its participation at Expo 2020, Togo reflects its commitment towards becoming a hub of services in the West African sub-region, and putting digital technology at the service and wellbeing of its people. Through Togo’s presence at Expo 2020 and beyond, we look forward to building on existing partnerships between our two countries in various sectors of mutual interest, such as logistics, agriculture, digitisation and SME empowerment.”
Togo’s goal during Expo 2020 is to display the innovation and ingenuity of its greatest resource: the Togolese people. The Togo Pavilion is showcasing some of the country’s most notable start-up achievements and inventions in industry sectors such as digital and technology. Among the projects on display is the CIZO rural electrification project, which is highlighted under the slogan, ‘On y va’ (‘Let’s go’).
Speaking to the media at the Togo Pavilion, Cina Lawson, Minister of Digital Economy and Digital Transformation of the Republic of Togo, said: “The construction of a solar power plant, which is the second largest in West Africa, built by a UAE company, Amea Power, is something that is very significant, as it pertains to renewable energy. Also, this is a project that was implemented during the pandemic to demonstrate that when the world shut down, the Togolese were working. We brought in investors who made it possible to build this new solar power plant.”
The award-winning music duo Toofan was greeted by raucous cheers from the Togolese onlookers dressed in national costumes, who danced and sang as the group performed its hits. Toofan’s musical style is the ‘Ogbragada’, a combination of rap and urban music, with a large fan following in Africa and across the globe.
National and Honour Days at Expo 2020 Dubai are moments to celebrate each of our 200-plus International Participants, shining a light on their culture and achievements, and showcasing their pavilions and programming.
Running until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 has invited visitors from across the planet to join the making of a new world in a six-month celebration of human creativity, innovation, progress and culture.
