US partners with Togo to reinforce country's resilience, natural disaster response

LOMÉ, Togo - Whether it's devastating floods, wildfires or powerful storms, Togolese officials are committed to aiding communities impacted by a wide range of potential disasters and the U.S. government is helping with the delivery of a new facility to help Togo's ministries and emergency response organizations to better coordinate.

Senior Togolese officials from the Ministry of Security and the National Civil Protection Agency - called ANPC, based on its official name in French - l'Agence Nationale de la Protection Civile - joined leaders from the U.S. Embassy in Togo, U.S. Africa Command, North Dakota National Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to celebrate the start of construction on a new national emergency operations center to improve emergency response coordination for future natural disasters in Togo.

"This really does sum up the commitment that the Republic of Togo has made to disaster preparedness and response and the commitment from the U.S. government and other partners to work together to make sure that first responders in Togo are at their best when the Togolese citizens are suffering the most," said North Dakota National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Alan Dorhmann speaking, on both the project and the partnership that led to it. "Let us continue to strengthen these partnerships and build resilience. Together, we will ensure a safer and more prosperous future for all Togolese citizens."

Togo's ANPC will ultimately operate the new national emergency operations center once it's completed.

"This event marks a historic milestone for civil protection in Togo and paves the way for a professional improvement in the quality of the provision of national services involved in disaster management in our country," said ANPC Director Lt. Col. Baka Yoma.

The U.S. Africa Command is funding the project, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers managing construction in close partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Togo and local Togolese partners.

"This new emergency operations center will provide the Togolese government with a new, fully functional emergency operations center from which they can manage a wide range of potential disasters impacting communities throughout Togo," said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District Commander Col. Dan Kent. "The national EOC building will facilitate bringing together key agencies and partners during crisis and directing resources during response and recovery operations - improving the Togolese government's ability to help their people when they need it the most."

Construction on the national EOC is expected to be completed this winter and the North Dakota National Guard will then work with Togo's National Civil Protection Agency and Ministry of Security to supply the new facility and help bring it online.

"As Togo's new National Emergency Operations Center becomes operational, we will work together with entities like U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue the investment in training, technology, and community engagement," Dohrmann said.

The North Dakota National Guard has a long history of cooperation and partnership with Togo, and this 2024 marks the tenth year of their State Partnership Program relationship with the West African nation. The continued collaboration on the national EOC is part of that enduring relationship.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District manages construction projects throughout Europe and Africa. Kent highlighted the wide range of projects his team has managed in Togo in recent years as part of U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. Embassy's larger commitment to Togo.

"This new emergency operations center is just the latest of many projects the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proudly delivered in Togo - in close partnership with the U.S. Embassy's Office of Security Cooperation, the North Dakota National Guard - and all to support U.S. AFRICOM's Humanitarian Assistance Program," Kent said. "In fact, since 2017 this team's collective completed projects and active work, like this EOC, represent a U.S. investment of more than $4.7 million in impactful projects in Togo."

These projects, funded by U.S. Africa Command and coordinated closely with the U.S. Embassy in Togo, include multiple school renovation and construction projects across Togo from kindergarten through secondary school as well as a recently completed hospital expansion and renovation in Dapoang in the northern region of Togo.

"We believe the improvements to this hospital will increase the facility's capacity for serving patients, improve efficiency of vaccinations and more," Kent said.

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