Togo is preparing to host a major economic event that reaffirms its role as a bridge between Francophone Africa and the English-speaking world. Under the High Patronage of President of the Council, His Excellency Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, Lomé will host, on November 12 and 13, 2025, at Hôtel 2 Février, the fourth edition of the UK–West and Central Francophone Africa Trade and Investment Forum (UK-WCAF IV).
According to the organizers, more than 700 participants from governments, the private sector, and international financial institutions are expected to attend this large-scale event, which will focus on cooperation and sustainable development. Organized by DMA Invest in partnership with the Government of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Togo, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and UK Export Finance (UKEF), the forum will bring together delegations from around ten African countries, including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Mauritania, and Senegal, along with British economic and diplomatic representatives. The objective is clear: to deepen trade relations and investment partnerships between Francophone Africa and the United Kingdom. This commitment is already visible, as UKEF’s support for the region has increased from £4 million to over £1 billion in just five years.
For the first time, the UK-WCAF Forum is being held on African soil, and the choice of Togo is highly symbolic. It highlights the country’s growing role as a key player in economic dialogue between Francophone and Anglophone regions, following its accession to the Commonwealth in 2022. According to Minister of Finance and Budget, Mr. Essowè Georges Barcola, this initiative “symbolizes Togo’s commitment to building bridges between continents, cultures, and capital, in pursuit of inclusive and sustainable development.” This positioning reflects the vision of President of the Council Faure Gnassingbé, whose proactive economic diplomacy and reform-oriented governance have made Togo a model of stability and regional attractiveness.
With a population of over 350 million, West and Central Africa represent a rapidly expanding market filled with opportunities for investors. Central Africa, with its vast industrial potential, and West Africa, a strong engine of growth, together form a strategic economic zone where new centers of production and innovation are emerging. Since 2022, the UK-WCAF Forum has generated more than £1 billion in trade and investment, including £170 million allocated to key infrastructure projects in Benin and Togo — notably the construction of a strategic road corridor aimed at boosting regional trade and integration.
The 2025 edition will also serve as a platform for discussion and concrete solutions around key development themes such as development financing, SME support, insurance, agribusiness, education, and digital transformation. It aligns with the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, a mechanism that grants preferential access to the UK market for several African nations, including Togo. The event will close with the Awards for Excellence in Francophone Africa, recognizing outstanding achievements in innovation, sustainability, and economic leadership across the continent.
Through this international gathering, Lomé once again positions itself as the beating heart of economic dialogue between Africa and the world, confirming Togo’s status as a hub of stability, openness, and vision.
