THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ARAA REINFORCES POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR THE PRIMA PROGRAMME WITH THE MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, LIVESTOCK AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY OF TOGO

Received in audience on 28 July 2026 by the Chief of Staff, Mr Konlani Djondiègue, representing Togo’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Resources and Food Sovereignty, the Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA), Mr Konlani Kanfitin, presented the main results of the Regional Programme for Agricultural Market Integration (PRIMA), coordinated by ECOWAS and implemented in Togo and Benin. The discussions aimed not only to inform the Minister of the results achieved but also to raise the political profile of PRIMA’s regional dimension to facilitate trade between Benin and Togo.

The Executive Director reiterated the ARAA’s mission, which is to ensure the technical implementation of regional programmes and investment plans within the framework of the Regional Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP). To date, ARAA coordinates 18 major projects and programmes, including the Regional Agricultural Market Integration Programme (PRIMA), which aims to stimulate regional agricultural trade to create jobs for women and young people and increase incomes, whilst improving food security and nutrition for vulnerable people.

Through the regional coordination of the PRIMA programme, ECOWAS ensures, in support of Benin and Togo, the coherence of national approaches and provides factual technical information and data on the functioning of markets and their integration into sub-regional trade corridors covering the cross-border areas between the two countries.

After nearly two years of implementation, significant results from the regional component led by ARAA include, amongst others, the completion of a baseline study on marketing channels and trade barriers between Benin and Togo, five harmonised documents, and two digital applications for monitoring and managing cross-border trade flows and trade barriers.

A technical bulletin on regional trade, focusing on the monitoring of cross-border flows and barriers, has been developed at regional level. Dialogue between state and non-state actors is now direct and strengthened through the facilitation of 10 corridor consultation forums.

During this meeting, the two parties discussed the issue of the repayment of funds to ARAA by Togo. To this end, ways forward have been identified to initiate the reimbursement procedure.

The Chief of Staff commended the efforts made by ARAA towards the ongoing implementation of PRIMA, and particularly its consistent support for Togo.

The Togolese side has committed, in conjunction with all other national stakeholders involved in cross-border trade issues, to working towards facilitating intra-regional trade in the context of imports and exports of agricultural products.

For ECOWAS, these discussions have been useful in reaching agreement on strategic directions to remove structural barriers to regional trade, as well as in preparing for the first meeting of the PRIMA Regional Steering Committee, which will be attended by the Ministers of Agriculture and Trade from Benin and Togo.