Togo Growth Diagnostics
This paper starts by analyzing past growth trends and sources of growth in Togo, as well as the structure of the economic actors in the country. The second part explores the current binding constraints to rapid and sustainable growth. For increased...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2012
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20101221164522 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3993 |
Summary: | This paper starts by analyzing past
growth trends and sources of growth in Togo, as well as the
structure of the economic actors in the country. The second
part explores the current binding constraints to rapid and
sustainable growth. For increased international
competitiveness and growth, Togo will need to raise efforts
to streamline its costly and cumbersome business procedures.
However, for this to have a sizable impact, Togo must prove
to potential investors that political stability is permanent
and that corruption, poor budget execution and mismanagement
of state owned enterprises belongs to the past. As a result
of the new government's reform agenda and the return of
international aid, a window of opportunities for high
returns to the still limited public investments has opened
up. This is especially true in infrastructure and
connectivity services, which would not only take advantage
of Togo's geographical location as a regional hub, but
also make growth in Togo more inclusive. And as economic
opportunities arise for the private sector, there is a need
to restructure the banking sector, which has already
started, to smooth distortions in the credit market.
Promising sectors within agriculture that are vital to
economic growth, employment opportunities, and poverty
reduction remain important, but will need to overcome a
number of coordination failures. Not least due to the
history of government interventions causing economic
distortions, the government must allow for a stronger role
for private operators and encourage it wherever possible.
Finally, although education does not exhibit constraints to
economic activity in Togo today, it is of importance to
improve the quality of education, not least to profit from
and catalyze the opportunities related to Togo's
potential as a regional hub. |
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