China's financial commitments in Togo according to UNDP reports (1972-2022)

Abstract

Since the signing of the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreements in Beijing on 19 September 1972, Sino–Togolese cooperation—initially structured around diplomatic and commercial engagement—has experienced a sustained consolidation over time. In this context, China has progressively emerged as a key partner upon which the Togolese government has been able to rely in addressing the country’s substantial development challenges. Over the years, Chinese financial inflows have expanded significantly, to the extent that they now compete with, and in some instances exceed, those provided by Togo’s so-called “traditional” partners. China therefore occupies a pivotal position within the landscape of external financial flows directed toward Togo. The present study aims to foreground, within this broader cohort of development partners, the specific contribution of China to Togo’s development trajectory. Beyond identifying the principal sectors of Chinese engagement in Togo, it seeks above all to assess the concrete effects of Chinese financial inputs on the implementation of national development projects over the past five decades of Sino–Togolese cooperation. To this end, the analysis draws primarily on annual reports produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), complemented by additional data derived from secondary sources.