New green spaces have just been created in the Togolese city of Lomé as part of a reforestation day combining religion and biodiversity.
In Lomé, the “Carrefour deux lions” and the “Rond-point Bodjona” are green. At least 800 trees have been planted in these areas right in the heart of Togo’s capital. The initiative was launched by the religious association Impact Centre Chrétien (ICC) in Agoè-Logopé, which has been campaigning for the environment since it was founded in 2002.
The reforestation session organised on 19 August 2023 was supported by local officials. It mobilised several members of civil society, including young people committed to implementing the 15th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG15), which focuses on terrestrial biodiversity. “More than a simple embellishment, this participation reflects the commitment of our community to sustainable development”, says the ICC, which claims 4,000 members worldwide.
This operation is part of the Sustainable Management of Semi-Arid Lands and Ecosystems project, the first phase of which, in 2022, saw 634,502 trees planted in the Savanes region of Togo. In this West African country, where 23,490 hectares of land are degraded every year according to a UN report, the government has set itself the task of reducing the pressure on natural resources, including in urban areas where trees are a means of combating drought.
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It is in this context that the annual reforestation campaign has been launched in this West African country. In 2023, the campaign is expected to result in the planting of 14 million trees, with the restoration of 1,000 hectares of degraded land. The private sector is contributing to this ambition, with several companies stepping up their reforestation efforts. This is the case of Sogea-Satom, a subsidiary of the French industrial group Vinci, which has announced the planting of 2,000 mangrove trees in the coastal town of Aného.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
