Togo Council Of Ministers: Adopts Nouveau Code Forestier

• Togo's Council of Ministers adopted a new forestry code bill on August 26, 2026, to strengthen environmental governance and sustainable resource management.
• The new code enhances local community participation, redefines forest domain categories, and introduces incentives for agroforestry and private investment.
• Two decrees were approved to expand the Agence de promotion des investissements et de la zone franche (API-ZF)'s mandate, including industrial zone management.
• The decrees also formalize the dissolution of the Société d’administration de la zone franche (SAZOF), transferring its functions to API-ZF to streamline investment processes.
• These reforms aim to improve Togo's attractiveness for private investment and reinforce its commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development.

The new code introduces several significant innovations designed to modernize Togo gestion ressources forestières.

The Togolese Council of Ministers, under the leadership of Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Council, convened on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, to address several key legislative and regulatory matters. During this session, the Council approved a new bill concerning the nation's forestry code, alongside three significant decrees aimed at enhancing investment promotion and streamlining administrative processes. Additionally, the meeting concluded with a single appointment.

These decisions mark a concerted effort by the Togolese government to update critical legal frameworks, particularly in environmental management and economic development. The adopted measures reflect a strategic response to evolving national and international challenges, setting the stage for revised approaches to natural resource governance and the attraction of private capital.

A central outcome of the Council's deliberations was the adoption of a new bill establishing the **Togo nouveau code forestier**. This legislative overhaul was deemed essential given the increasing complexities surrounding sustainable natural resource management, the impacts of climate change, and the imperative of biodiversity preservation. The primary objective of this revised code is to fortify the legal structure governing the forestry sector, ensuring a better balance between safeguarding the nation's forest heritage and supporting local development needs, while also building climate resilience. This aligns with Togo's broader international commitments.

The new code introduces several significant innovations designed to modernize **Togo gestion ressources forestières**. It emphasizes improved governance and greater involvement of local stakeholders in managing these vital resources. The legislation redefines the categories of the national forest domain and standardizes their management procedures, simultaneously bolstering the participation of territorial communities. Furthermore, it grants an expanded role to riparian populations, mandating their consultation and the consideration of their legitimate rights, traditional uses, and interests, particularly during forest classification processes. The code also enshrines principles for accessing genetic resources and ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from them. Enforcement mechanisms are strengthened to combat poaching, the trafficking of wild species, and other forestry offenses. To alleviate pressure on forest resources, the code incorporates incentive programs for agroforestry, **Togo investissements privés** in sustainable practices, and the transition to cleaner energy. This comprehensive reform is integral to Togo's national policies for reforestation, landscape restoration, and the sustainable management of protected areas, underscoring a robust commitment to **Togo droit environnemental**.

In parallel with environmental reforms, the Council also enacted two decrees focused on enhancing **Togo Agence promotion investissements**. One decree outlines the attributions, organization, and operational framework of the Agence de promotion des investissements et de la zone franche (API-ZF). This move responds to the growing need to accelerate private investments and foster the development of industrial and free zones, thereby necessitating a more robust national institutional framework for investment promotion. The aim is to boost the effectiveness of investment initiatives and solidify Togo's appeal to investors.

Under the new provisions, API-ZF's mandate is significantly expanded to include the development, management, and provision of industrial zones. The decree also reinforces transparency mechanisms and risk management protocols associated with granting approvals and advantages to investors. This reform is designed to equip API-ZF with a more cohesive, adaptable, and high-performing institutional structure, capable of sustainably supporting Togo's attractiveness, driving increased **Togo investissements privés**, and fostering industrial growth. Complementing this, another decree formally organizes the **Togo dissolution SAZOF**, the Société d’administration de la zone franche, and establishes the procedures for API-ZF to assume SAZOF's rights and obligations. This dissolution is a strategic step towards rationalizing resources and enhancing the efficiency of the national investment promotion system, building on Law No. 2019-005 of June 17, 2019, which had already designated API-ZF to take over SAZOF's functions as part of a single-window system designed to simplify and expedite investment formalities.

These recent legislative and regulatory changes underscore Togo's proactive stance in addressing both environmental sustainability and economic growth. The adoption of the new forestry code signals a profound commitment to protecting natural heritage, engaging local communities, and aligning with global environmental standards, which is crucial for long-term ecological balance and climate resilience. Simultaneously, the reforms targeting API-ZF and the dissolution of SAZOF demonstrate a clear governmental strategy to create a more efficient, transparent, and attractive environment for private investment.

By consolidating investment promotion efforts under an expanded API-ZF and streamlining administrative processes, Togo aims to significantly boost its economic competitiveness and industrial development. These integrated reforms collectively position the nation for more sustainable development, where environmental protection and robust economic growth are mutually reinforcing objectives.

Lawyers advising on land use, environmental compliance, or natural resource projects in Togo must review the newly adopted forestry code for updated regulations on resource management, biodiversity protection, and local community engagement. Additionally, those advising investors should note the expanded role of API-ZF as a single investment window and the dissolution of SAZOF, requiring familiarity with the streamlined investment framework.

Source: Original reporting via Council of Ministers communiqué