81284667-Expertise internationale : volet digitalisation du programme décentralisation au Togo

In June 2019, the decentralisation process in Togo, relaunched through the government's adoption of the roadmap for decentralisation and local elections (March 2016), and the updating of the law on decentralisation and local liberties (February 2018), reached a decisive phase in its implementation with the holding of the first local elections in 32 years. These elections were a key step in the implementation of a mode of governance aimed at bringing citizens closer to the decision-making process. While communal administration had been carried out since 1987 by Presidents of Special Delegations, appointed by the government, it is now to 1527 municipal councillors in the 117 municipalities that citizens have entrusted the administration and management of their municipalities, for a six-year term. While these elections mark a decisive turning point in public policy in Togo, establishing a new articulation of powers between the State, the regions and the municipalities, many challenges remain to be met, notably the deployment and support of administrative and technical staff in the municipalities, the training of newly elected officials and the transfer of competences and resources to the territorial authorities. In the framework of bilateral cooperation between Togo and the Federal Republic of Germany since 2013, German cooperation has supported the Togolese government in improving the framework conditions for the development and implementation of the decentralisation process. A new and particularly ambitious form of cooperation has been adopted since June 2021, through the signing of the German-Togolese Partnership for Reforms. In 2018, Togo joined the 12 countries that have joined the "Compact with Africa" initiative, launched under the German presidency of the G20 Summit. Within this framework, the Togolese government has committed to implementing macroeconomic and political reforms to strengthen the framework conditions for increased private investment, sustainable economic development and the promotion of employment. This objective is reaffirmed in the framework of the government's roadmap for Togo 2020-2025. It is in this context that the Decentralisation and Governance Programme, which entered its fourth phase of implementation in February 2022, is being implemented. Thanks to 9 years of experience in supporting the improvement of municipal administration and the implementation of decentralisation, and based on the objectives of axis 3 Good governance and development of territories as a lever for inclusive growth of this reform partnership, the objectives of this phase of the Decentralisation and Governance Programme (ProDeG IV) have been designed. Thus, the planned support is based on three areas of intervention: 1. Development planning and local investments, digital management of local finances and management of municipal revenues. 2. Strengthening the capacities of local authorities to play their role as local development actors and territorial development managers. 3. The framework for the implementation of decentralisation and deconcentration for good local governance. The Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralisation and Territorial Development is the supervisory ministry of the programme and the German contribution, financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.