LETTER FROM PRESIDENT FAURE TO THE SECRETARY:

UNCLAS LOME 000385


DEPT FOR AF AND F
AF/W ALSO FOR AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE HAWKINS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID OPDC PREL EFIN TO
SUBJECT: LETTER FROM PRESIDENT FAURE TO THE SECRETARY:
DONORS MEETING ON TOGO: SEPTEMBER 18-19 BRUSSELS


1. The Embassy has received for transmission a letter dated
June 25 from Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe to Secretary
of State Rice. The letter is in French. Embassy translation
follows:

QUOTE Dear Madam Secretary of State:

As you know, Togo is emerging from a recent political crisis
which has caused a severe deterioration in the country's
economic situation and worsened the Togolese people's living
conditions. This situation has been exacerbated by a lack of
internal resources and the drastic reduction of outside
assistance.

Since 2006, however, thanks to the active involvement of the
ECOWAS states and the mediation of the President of Burkina
Faso, but also with the active support of the United States
of America, the Togolese government has undertaken extensive
changes in the area of governance through important
political, economic and structural measures and reforms that
reduced tension in the social-political climate and allowed
Togo to renew its relationships with the international
community.

In this respect, the launching of the Justice Reform Program,
the opening of an office of the UnitedNations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, and the reinforcement of
measures that guarantee the security of persons and goods and
ensure the respect of republican standards concerning the
intervention of security forces, have culminated in the
resumption of an inclusive political dialogue with all the
political elements and representatives of society. This
dialogue, which resulted in a Global Political Agreement, was
a major factor in successful, free, and transparent
legislative elections in October 2007.

Furthermore, important progress has been accomplished in the
area of macroeconomic reforms, thanks to efforts to improve
the management of public finances and with the satisfactory
implementation of the reference program concluded with the
International Monetary Fund in October 2006. Positive
results in the area of economic governance and the will to
move forward with political dialogue efforts, as well as the
fight against impunity, and national reconciliation, also
led, in April 2008, to the signature of a loan agreement with
the Facility for Poverty Reduction and Growth (FRPC) as well
as reengaging with the World Bank, through the approval, on
May 29, 2008, of an interim strategy note and a grant to
stimulate the economy and boost governance.

In addition, talks are progressing well with the European
Investment Bank and with the African Development Bank (AFDB),
leading to an expected complete resumption of relations with
these important partners, namely in the area of the new AFDB
facility for the least developed countries.

Progress in the consolidation of democracy and the rule of
law, as well as continuing progress in the area of protection
of human rights and fundamental freedoms, have already
permitted the resumption of cooperation between Togo and the
European Union and have also favored the current
re-engagement underway with international financial
institutions.

However, the economic and social situation of the country
remains very worrisome and much remains to be done, on the
one hand, to deal with the challenges, before being able to
attain by 2015 the objectives of the Millennium for
Development and, on the other hand, to take into account
harmful consequences of the long sociopolitical crisis
affecting the social sectors. Thus, while the political
situation, while presently calm, and economic governance are
no longer major problems, Togo is still among those fragile
states which get the least assistance from outside.

In addition to this are added harmful consequences due to
changes in the weather (floods and drought) which often
affect Togo, as well as the shocks from outside the country,
with tragic repercussions resulting from steady increases in
the price of petroleum and food products. This vulnerability
and the deterioration of living conditions of the population
might well constrain stabilization efforts and compromise the
peaceful climate required for the sustained pursuit of
structural reforms and national reconciliation.

Within this context, it is essential to accelerate the
dialogue with the international community and potential
sponsors on development policy and the resumption of
cooperation, as well as to mobilize additional resources in
order to implement priority actions being undertaken by Togo
in the fight against poverty.

That is the basis for the Round Table that the Togolese
Government has decided to organize with major bilateral and
multilateral partners, in order to engage in a more extensive
dialogue, in a new and broader framework, on the pursuit of
political, institutional, and economic reforms, and to set
forth the assistance required for Togo during this critical
transitional phase.

This meeting will take place in Brussels (Belgium) on
September 18-19, 2008, in the offices of the European
Commission at the Albert Borschette Conference Center, and it
will have the following specific objectives:

- provide information on recent political, economic, and
social developments, as well as on the vision, the strategic
orientations and the areas of priority that have been
proposed in the interim strategy for poverty reduction
adopted by the Togolese government in March 2008;

- discuss the terms of the full resumption of programs of
cooperation between Togo and all of its technical and
financial partners, in a renewed context of partnership which
takes into account the principles of the Declaration of Paris
on the coordination, the complementarities, and the efficacy
of public assistance for development;

- specify the contributions and financial resources to be
mobilized by development partners for the implementation of
urgent actions outlined in an Interim Plan of priority
actions and in an Emergency Program.

These two planning documents remain the global context of the
intermediate document of strategy for poverty reduction
(DSRP-I) and they identify, on the one hand, the priority
actions that must be implemented to guarantee the coherence
of the series of actions to be taken and to reestablish the
minimal level of investments in the priority sectors and, on
the other hand, those that, first off, must and can be
rapidly implemented to deal with the food crisis, the rise in
the price of oil, and to finance the priority sectors of
education and health.

Convening the Round Table will constitute a particular
sequence in the implementation of reforms and will also
enable Togo's financial and technical partners to better plan
their resumption of support in an integrated context, taking
into account the country's needs in the short and medium term.

I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you the deep
gratitude of the Togolese Government and people for the very
appreciable contribution of the United States of America to
the consensus decision on the important question of Togolese
debt during the Paris Club meeting on June 12, 2008. This is
also an opportunity for me to renew to you my deep gratitude
for the part your country has played in the resumption of
activity of the international financial institutions,
especially during the board meetings of the IMF and the World
Bank dealing with the situation in Togo.

I warmly salute the position of kind understanding and
solidarity of the United States of America towards Togo and
am convinced that your country's participation in this
crucial meeting and the support that will come out of it will
contribute to meeting the expectations of the Togolese
government and people in this phase of reconstruction and
socioeconomic recovery.

Please accept, Madam Secretary of State, the assurances of my
high consideration.

//s//
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe UNQUOTE


2. The original correspondence is being pouched to AF/W for
disposition.


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