International network: a new PRISME is emerging in Togo

The first milestones of an ambitious partnership

From May 19 to 22, 2025, a delegation from ANRS MIE, Inserm, and IRD, led by Éric D’Ortenzio (Head of the Strategy and Partnerships Department at ANRS MIE) and Laure-Amélie de Monteynard (International Network Coordinator at ANRS MIE), traveled to Lomé to lay the foundations of this ambitious partnership project.

The delegation was welcomed by CFRSP of the University of Lomé, led by Pr Didier Ekouevi and met with about ten keys Togolese institution – the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the universities of Lomé and Kara, the National Institute of Hygiene, the BIOLIM laboratory, the National Council for the Fight Against AIDS, the National Program for the Fight Against AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (PNLS), the NGOs CARESP and Espoir-Vie Togo, – as well as the French Embassy in Togo, the WHO country office, UNAIDS, to build a shared vision of scientific and strategic priorities.

Objectives of the future PRISME

The PRISME project (International Research Platform on Global Health and Environment) is carried out in collaboration with Professors Claver Anoumou Dagnra (BIOLIM Laboratory and PNLS) and Didier Koumavi Ekouevi, both already closely linked to ANRS MIE. Professor Dagnra is a project leader at ANRS MIE and a member of the AFROSCREEN network, while Professor Ekouevi is involved in several ANRS MIE projects, including the HIPOCAMP project, and serves as Chair of CA 46.

With the aim of becoming a reference hub in West Africa, this future PRISME in Togo will notably seek to:

• Structure health research around major health and environmental challenges;

• Develop ambitious training programs;

• Fund local research projects;

• Support the training of young researchers through master’s and postdoctoral scholarships.

Strong support from Togolese authorities and local partners

The Togolese Minister of Higher Education, Kanka-Malik Natchaba, welcomed this initiative, which he sees as strategic for the country’s scientific development. Local partners also expressed strong enthusiasm to align their work with this dynamic at the intersection of national needs and major global health challenges.

Towards an official signing in early 2026

This project to create PRISME Togo fully aligns with ANRS MIE’s strategy to support the scientific sovereignty of partner countries, encourage the training of a new generation of researchers, and produce robust data to inform health policies.

A framework agreement will be initiated jointly with all future signatories, aiming for an official signing in early 2026. It will formalize each party’s commitments and ensure the platform’s sustainability.