The Rotary Club of Lomé Zenith, in partnership with the People Planet and Peace Foundation, has planted mangrove trees along the coastline of Aneho, a coastal town in southeastern Togo.
Mr. Landry Amewounou, President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Lomé Zenith, said on Sunday that the initiative aimed to mitigate flooding, coastal erosion, storms, and mudslides in the area.
He stated that the organizations selected the location to complement ongoing efforts by stakeholders to address climate change impacts in Togo.
Amewounou, a solar energy photovoltaic expert, added that the Togolese government is working to increase renewable energy adoption as part of its energy transition plan by 2030.
Mr. Eusebio Cesar, Project Manager of the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Management Programme, commended the Rotary Club and the foundation for their tree-planting initiative.
Cesar noted that the WACA programme has contributed to creating economic opportunities and improving livelihoods in coastal communities. It also promotes sustainable management of marine and coastal resources through experience-sharing and stakeholder networking.
“WACA continues to foster a regional focus on sustainable solutions for the resilience and economic development of Africa’s coastal areas,” he said.
Mr. Olatunji Francisco, Lead of the Climate Beyond Borders Caravan (CBBC), an initiative of the foundation, highlighted that similar projects have been carried out in Nigeria.
He emphasized that collective action is essential to address climate change across the continent. Francisco added that CBBC participants plan to visit more African countries in the coming weeks.
“CBBC is a Pan-African, youth-led initiative aimed at promoting climate justice, cross-border cooperation, and green economic transformation across Africa,” he explained.
In a related development, Mr. Hermann Amadoto, District Governor Nominee for Rotary District 9103 (Togo, Benin, and Niger), announced that Togo would launch a “Waste-to-Wealth” initiative to create jobs for young people.
He mentioned plans to establish local recycling firms to process plastic waste domestically instead of exporting it for recycling abroad, which would generate employment and support environmental sustainability.
Amadoto pledged support for the successful implementation of CBBC activities in Togo and beyond.
Similarly, Mr. Modeste Messavussu-Akue, President of the Rotary Club of Lomé Zenith, praised CBBC members for their climate-related projects in Togo.
He encouraged members of the initiative to join Rotary, noting that both organizations share similar goals.
He also mentioned that Rotary’s seventh area of focus is community development supporting the environment.
Finally, the CBBC Secretary in Nigeria, Miss Olabisi Kumuyi, thanked stakeholders for backing the initiative’s activities in Togo and announced plans to proceed to Ghana for the next phase of the caravan’s work.
