AGP Executive Report

Togo & Regional Diplomacy: Angola joins the African Political Alliance extraordinary ministerial conference in Lomé, under the theme “Crisis in Africa and the Middle East,” aiming to coordinate responses on peace, security and development. Entrepreneurship & Business Skills: Lomé hosted the Di-Kéti entrepreneurship forum, where experts stressed that MSMEs in Togo need quality standards and certification—not just financing—to grow sustainably. Arts & Language: ART Association (Alternative Russo-Togolaise) kicked off free Russian language courses in Lomé, with a two-month basic track and plans for full year-long classes from September. Sports & Youth Football: Ghana’s Black Stars winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku recalled being shocked when he was told he’d start his first senior game—after expecting to watch. Music & Culture: Togolese collective Nana Benz du Togo is among the acts announced for Berlin’s Durchlüften open-air festival, running across July and August. Disability Inclusion: ECOWAS donated 670 assistive devices to children with disabilities in Nigeria, including wheelchairs and mobility aids, with Togo named among targeted countries. Flooding & Safety: Côte d’Ivoire floods have killed 59 since May, while Ghana reported at least 13 deaths—another reminder of how extreme rains are hitting West Africa hard.

Entrepreneurship & Standards: Lomé’s Di-Kéti forum (July 3) put certification and product quality at the center of Togo’s MSME growth push, urging entrepreneurs to professionalize early for long-term sustainability. Sports (Women’s Football): Nigeria’s U17 Flamingos edged Benin’s Amazons 3-2 in the first leg of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup 2026 qualifying final round. Arts & Pop Culture (Anime): Kagurabachi fans are buzzing after an early episode premiere at Anime Expo 2026, with viewers praising the grounded action and craft behind the adaptation. Tech & Governance: The UN and ITU launched an “AI for Good” global commission, bringing AI CEOs into the same governance space as heads of state, with Togo listed among participating leaders. Regional Inclusion: ECOWAS donated 670 assistive devices to children with disabilities in Nigeria, spotlighting disability inclusion across the region. Culture (Language Learning): ART Association (Alternative Russo-Togolaise) started free Russian courses in Lomé, with plans for year-long classes from September. Music (Festival): Tbilisi Open Air 2026 announced traffic changes around Lisi Lake during the festival run.

World Cup Culture: The Round of 32 wraps up with France’s 3-0 win over Sweden, keeping Kylian Mbappé in the spotlight as the tournament’s big-name energy rolls into the next matches. Music & Community: In Lomé, the ART Association (Alternative Russo-Togolaise) has kicked off free Russian language courses, with a two-month basic track and plans for full year-long classes after strong early interest. Arts & Fashion Heritage: A look at Ankara’s West African roots traces how the bold fabric spread across the coast, including through trade routes reaching Togo and Benin. Regional Sports Development: Lagos’ Yabatech Sports Complex will host the Dynamic Athletics Meet in August, bringing together athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. Local Inclusion: ECOWAS donated 670 assistive devices to children with disabilities in Nigeria, spotlighting regional efforts to widen access and inclusion.

Ankara Origins & Fashion Lore: A fashion historian traces how Ankara wax-print patterns may have traveled from Dutch production to Ghana’s trade hubs—possibly shaping the name “Ankara” as Yoruba traders moved along the West African coast, including Togo and Benin. Togolese Music Spotlight: A five-piece band in London turns homemade, repurposed instruments into a dancefloor sound rooted in Vodun traditions, blending electronic, soul and Afrobeat. Russian Language in Lomé: The ART Association (Alternative Russo-Togolaise) starts free Russian courses in Lomé, with a two-month basic track and plans for year-long classes after September. Regional Sports: The Dynamic Athletics Meet is set for mid-August at Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos, with athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. World Cup Culture: Ghana winger Abdul Fatawu Issahaku recalls his surprise Black Stars debut start—after expecting to observe. ECOWAS Inclusion: ECOWAS donates 670 assistive devices to children with disabilities in Nigeria, pushing disability inclusion across the region.

World Cup Round of 32 (Free viewing guide): Today’s knockout slate includes Australia vs Egypt, Argentina vs Cape Verde, and Colombia vs Ghana, with matches listed for UK/Australia broadcasters and a “watch from anywhere” option. Music & culture (Togo link): Lomé’s ART Association (Alternative Russo-Togolaise) has kicked off free Russian language courses, with a two-month basic track and plans for year-long classes from September. Arts & entertainment (Berlin): Durchlüften returns to Berlin’s Humboldt Forum with free admission and a lineup that includes Togolese collective Nana Benz du Togo. Sports (West Africa): The Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos will host the Dynamic Athletics Meet in August, featuring athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. Music (global spotlight): Reggae singer Kelissa releases her long-awaited album The Good Side of Things, blending roots reggae with world music.

Togo Language & Learning: In Lomé, the ART Association (Alternative Russo-Togolaise) launched free Russian language courses, with 30+ participants starting a two-month basic track and a bigger year-long programme planned for September. West Africa Flood Fallout: Heavy rains have battered the region, with Ghana’s Accra hit hard by flooding and power disruptions, while Côte d’Ivoire reports 59 deaths and Togo’s capital Lomé also faces storm impacts. Togo on the Sports Calendar: The Dynamic Athletics Meet is set for mid-August at Lagos’ Yabatech Sports Complex, bringing together athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. Arts & Culture Spotlight: Berlin’s Humboldt Forum festival Durchlüften returns with free open-air music across July and August, featuring Togolese collective Nana Benz du Togo among international acts. Music Release: Reggae star Kelissa returns after nearly a decade with “The Good Side of Things,” blending roots reggae with world music and new life reflections.

Russian Language Push in Lomé: The ART Association (Alternative Russo-Togolaise) kicked off free Russian courses in Lomé, with 30+ participants starting a two-month basic track before aiming for Russian university study; organisers say a full year-long programme is planned for September, with 150+ already interested. West Africa Flood Fallout: Heavy rains across the region are turning deadly, with Côte d’Ivoire reporting 59 deaths since May and Ghana’s Accra hit by severe flooding that disrupted transport and power. Togo in the Spotlight via Sports: The Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos will host the Dynamic Athletics Meet in mid-August, featuring athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. Music & Culture: Reggae star Kelissa returns after nearly a decade with “The Good Side of Things,” while London audiences recently caught a Togolese five-piece band blending homemade instruments and Vodun-rooted rhythms.

Music Spotlight: Reggae star Kelissa returns after nearly a decade with The Good Side of Things, a healing, roots-forward album blending world music and her poetic storytelling. Live Arts & Culture: Berlin’s Humboldt Forum will host the free open-air festival Durchlüften (July 9–Aug 1), featuring artists like Noura Mint Seymali, BCUC and the Togolese collective Nana Benz du Togo. Sports (Regional): The Dynamic Athletics Meet is set for mid-August at Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos, bringing together athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. Arts & Identity (Literature): Brno’s Author’s Reading Month runs through July, ending July 31 with Togolese writer-explorer Tété-Michel Kpomassie. Togo in the News: Togo, the EU and Eurocham Togo launch a tripartite investment dialogue in Lomé to improve the business climate and attract European investment. Entertainment (Global): Kagurabachi is confirmed for worldwide streaming in April 2027 via Crunchyroll.

Togo-EU Investment Dialogue: Togo, Team Europe and Eurocham Togo launched a tripartite, twice-yearly dialogue in Lomé to improve the business climate and attract European investment, with a focus on skills transfer, stronger local content and better links to domestic SMEs. West Africa Floods: Heavy rains battered Accra and Tema, paralysing roads, disrupting power and forcing some schools to close, while rescue teams were deployed across multiple flooded areas. Dynamic Athletics Meet: The Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos will host the Dynamic Athletics Meet in mid-August, with athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria chasing personal bests and world-ranking points. Digital Civic Space: RFLD joined partners in Harare for NAFASI’s first annual consortium meeting, aligning governance, financial controls and gender mainstreaming for a Sida-funded push to protect Africa’s digital civic space. Design & Architecture: Designboom Radar highlights July exhibitions, including “Architects of Liberation: Modernism in Western Africa,” spanning Benin, Togo and beyond. Music Scene: A Togolese five-piece feminist band is turning London’s Jazz Café into a dancefloor with homemade instruments rooted in Vodun traditions and fused with electronic, soul and Afrobeat.

Dynamic Athletics Meet: Yabatech Sports Complex in Lagos will host the Dynamic Athletics Meet in mid-August, with athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria chasing personal bests and world ranking boosts. Lomé Investment Dialogue: Togo, Team Europe and Eurocham Togo launched a tripartite, twice-yearly permanent dialogue in Lomé to improve the business climate and attract European investment, with a focus on skills transfer and stronger local value chains. Lomé Port Spotlight: A feature highlights how the Port of Lomé became West Africa’s key transshipment hub, pointing to deep-water advantages plus sustained modernization and policy choices. Torrential Rains Across West Africa: Flooding hit Accra and other areas, disrupting transport and power, while Lomé also reported casualties and damage from heavy rainfall. Music in Motion (London): A Togolese five-piece feminist band wowed a 400-strong crowd in London, using homemade, repurposed instruments rooted in Vodun traditions fused with electronic, soul and Afrobeat. Drug Crackdown (Regional): NDLEA reports major seizures and arrests tied to cross-border trafficking, including Tramadol pills allegedly routed from Togo via Benin into Nigeria.

Arts & Culture: A feminist five-piece band from Togo wowed a 400-strong crowd in London at Jazz Cafe, blending ancestral Vodun roots with electronic, soul and Afrobeat—built on bass-heavy homemade and repurposed instruments like PVC pipe basses and recycled percussion. Music & Media: Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream the “Kagurabachi” anime worldwide from April 2027 (excluding Japan and parts of Asia), with Katsuyuki Konishi voicing “Togo Shiba,” plus a global “world tour” of preview events starting this July. Sports: West African athletes are set for the Dynamic Athletics Meet in mid-August at Lagos’ Yabatech Sports Complex, featuring Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria, with registration details coming soon. Business & Jobs: Nordiq Hygiene Care in Ghana is expanding local sanitary pad production, creating 300+ jobs and supporting the Free Sanitary Pads initiative to tackle period poverty. Togo-EU Economy: Togo, Team Europe and Eurocham Togo launched a permanent investment dialogue in Lomé to improve the business climate and attract European investment. Climate & City Life: Heavy rains hit Accra and also affected Lomé, disrupting roads and daily life as authorities warn of more rainfall.

Togo–EU Investment Talks: Lomé hosted a tripartite, twice-yearly dialogue on investment and the business climate, bringing Togolese authorities, Team Europe and Eurocham Togo together to improve conditions for firms and attract European capital into higher value-added sectors. Lomé as a Regional Arts-Economy Story: A feature revisits how the Port of Lomé became West Africa’s transshipment hub—useful context for creatives and cultural industries that depend on trade, mobility and visibility. Sports Spotlight (West Africa): A Dynamic Athletics Meet in Lagos is set to feature athletes from Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria, aiming to boost rankings and performances ahead of the 2026 season. Anime for Fans: Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream the Kagurabachi anime worldwide from April 2027 (with Togo Shiba voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi), plus a global early screening tour. Floods Disrupt Daily Life: Ghana’s Accra and Tema were hit by severe Monday rains, with GNFS rescue teams responding across multiple neighborhoods and major roads.

Crunchyroll Anime Buzz: Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream Kagurabachi worldwide from April 2027 (excluding Japan, Mainland China, North Korea and South Korea), with Katsuyuki Konishi voicing Togo Shiba and a global “Anime World Tour” previewing the first 20 minutes in July and beyond. Sports & Entertainment: NJPW set Shota Umino vs Gabe Kidd for the IWGP Global Heavyweight title at its July 6 “Road to G1 Climax” show in Tokyo. Togo-EU Business: Togo, the EU and Eurocham launched a permanent investment dialogue in Lomé to improve the business climate and attract European investors. Port of Lomé Spotlight: A feature explains how Lomé became West Africa’s transshipment hub—deep waters plus modernization and policy choices—offering lessons for Nigeria. Drugs & Security (Region): Nigeria’s NDLEA reported major seizures and arrests tied to trafficking routes involving Togo and Benin, including tramadol pills and large cannabis and cocaine consignments.

Togo–EU Investment Dialogue: Lomé hosted a tripartite, permanent investment consultation launched by the Togolese government, Team Europe and Eurocham Togo, aiming to improve the business climate and attract European capital while boosting skills transfer, local content and SME integration. Lomé Health & Trauma Congress: The 19th Congress of the French-speaking Orthopaedic Association (AOLF), running alongside SOTOCOT, brings 400+ specialists to discuss traumatology, road injuries, spinal care, joint prostheses and even bamboo-based surgical training tools. Artisanal Fisheries Reform in Togo: Togo unveiled a sustainability push for artisanal fisheries, including a July 1–31 annual closure, stronger management institutions, coastal ecosystem protection, anti-erosion works, and better governance—presented to regional partners in Lomé with FAO support. Anime for Togo Fans: Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream the Kagurabachi anime worldwide from April 2027 (excluding Japan, Mainland China, North Korea and South Korea), with Togo Shiba voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi and a global early “World Tour” screening run. Global Arts/Media Note: A data-driven map roundup highlights where safe drinking water remains out of reach—useful context for arts and community projects tied to public services.

Togo Arts & Culture: Lomé is hosting the 19th Congress of the French-speaking Orthopaedic Association (AOLF) alongside the 7th Togolese Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SOTOCOT), bringing together 400+ doctors and students to discuss traumatology across Africa, Europe and the Maghreb, with sessions on road-traffic injuries, spinal trauma, joint prostheses and even bamboo-based surgical training. Regional Sports & Travel: Tour D’Afrique 2026 wrapped up with a 1,110km, seven-day ride that returned to Lagos after stages through Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana, under a climate-change theme. Anime Spotlight: Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream the “Kagurabachi” anime worldwide from April 2027 (excluding Japan, Mainland China, North Korea and South Korea), with Togo Shiba voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi and a global early “World Tour” screening run starting in July. Arts, Media & Community: Spotify data shows football podcast listening is rising across sub-Saharan Africa, with several countries posting noticeable June gains and the trend pointing to deeper match analysis and fan conversations.

Anime & Pop Culture: Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream Kagurabachi worldwide from April 2027 (excluding Japan, Mainland China, North Korea and South Korea), with Katsuyuki Konishi voicing Togo Shiba and a global “World Tour” of early screenings kicking off in July. Sports & Community: Tour D’Afrique 2026 wrapped up with a 1,110km, seven-day cycling ride that returned to Lagos after stages through Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana, themed around riding against climate change. Regional Arts/Health & Learning: Lomé hosted the French-speaking Orthopaedic Association congress (AOLF) alongside SOTOCOT, drawing 400+ surgeons and students for trauma-focused sessions and workshops. Togo Spotlight (Fisheries): Togo presented reforms to modernize artisanal fisheries, including a July 1–31 annual closure, stronger management, coastal ecosystem protection, and measures to curb illegal fishing. Maritime Safety: The IMO paused its Strait of Hormuz evacuation plan after an attack on the Ever Lovely, while traffic continued through the region.