The United Nations says its humanitarian and development programmes in Togo have supported more than two million people during the 2024-2025 period, with interventions focused on nutrition, health, education and social protection.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Togo Coumba Dieng Sow said the programmes reached nearly a quarter of Togo’s population through coordinated support efforts carried out by various UN agencies.
Speaking at the opening of a regional conference on nutrition and early childhood development in West and Central Africa, Sow said the interventions targeted vulnerable communities across several sectors, including food systems, healthcare and education.
The conference was co-organised with the World Bank Group.
Particular attention has been given to northern Togo, especially the Savanes region, where insecurity and population displacement have increased humanitarian pressures in recent years.
According to Sow, more than 500,000 people in the region including refugees and internally displaced persons benefited from programmes aimed at strengthening resilience and improving access to basic services.
The UN support strategy includes cash assistance, agricultural support for local producers, school feeding initiatives and nutritional supplementation programmes.
Officials say the interventions are designed not only to address immediate humanitarian needs but also to improve long-term resilience and human capital development.
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Sow described nutrition as a critical but often overlooked driver of economic growth, arguing that investments in child nutrition and early development can have lasting effects on productivity and national development.
“Nutrition is the most underestimated economic policy of our time,” she said, highlighting its impact on education outcomes, workforce productivity and public health.
Several UN agencies are involved in implementing programmes in Togo, including the World Food Programme, UNICEF, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Development Programme and World Health Organization.
The current partnership framework between the UN and the Togolese government covers the 2023-2026 period and prioritises human capital development, social protection and support for vulnerable regions affected by insecurity and economic challenges.
Analysts say the focus on nutrition and resilience reflects growing concern across West Africa over food insecurity, displacement and the developmental impact of prolonged regional instability.
