Evaluation of the implementation of the ESMP of an electricity project in TOGO

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is a planning tool designed to prevent environmental degradation at the expense of economic development. It ensures that projects are better integrated into the social environment thereby contributing to sustainable development. Since the adoption of Decree No. 2006-058/PR setting out the procedures for carrying out an ESIA in Togo 482 studies have been carried out. However only 64 studies have been followed up in the implementation of their Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP). As a result little attention has been paid to the impact of applying the recommendations set out in the ESMP to reduce negative impacts. This is the case for the North-Togo electricity interconnection project being carried out by the Communauté Electrique du Bénin (CEB). The aim of this study is to analyse the implementation of the project''s ESMP. In particular it aims to identify the constraints linked to the implementation of the ESMP and to define a monitoring-evaluation procedure to make the mechanism more effective.