Street scene in Cotonou, Benin

    Political situation Systematic course of reform, but restrictions on political freedoms

    In 2016, Patrice Talon, a businessman, was elected President. In 2021, he was confirmed in office. Talon launched a comprehensive process of political, administrative and economic reforms. This has brought some progress: among other things, government revenue has increased and energy, water and basic education services as well as the transport infrastructure have been improved. Between 2018 and 2022, the share of social spending rose from 32.6 to 43.8 per cent.

    According to the Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International, the government has also made progress on anti-corruption. The country's ranking has improved continuously since 2016. In 2023, Benin was ranked 70th out of 180 countries (in 2016, it was 95th out of 176). However, the special anti-corruption and anti-terrorism court created in 2018 has drawn some criticism.

    The government's action plan (Programme d'Actions du Gouvernement, PAG) for the President's second term envisages a better balance between economic and social development and between different regions. At present, social inequality between urban and rural areas and between the southern and northern parts of the country is still high. Social protection systems are not yet as developed in Benin as in other countries. The World Bank has a programme in Benin to support the expansion of the systems.

    Benin is part of the G20 Compact with Africa initiative and has also joined the Addis Tax Initiative. This underlines the government's commitment to improving the economic policy environment and establishing a transparent and efficient system of public finance. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have commended Benin's efforts to improve tax collection and to prioritise critical social and security-related spending. The two institutions have repeatedly committed high amounts of funding to Benin, for instance in December 2023, when the IMF provided some 200 million US dollars under its Resilience and Sustainability Facility.

    Benin is one of the few countries in Africa that have not yet ratified the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). However, Benin is committed to multilateralism and plays a constructive and active role within the region and in the African Union.


    Democratic deficits

    Even if the current political situation in Benin is relatively stable overall, it must be noted that there are significant restrictions on democratic freedoms and on the separation of powers.

    In the run-up to the parliamentary elections in 2019, tensions developed because only two parties were allowed to run as a result of a party and election legislation reform. As a consequence, many voters boycotted the election. The presidential election in 2021, which was accompanied by police violence, drew some criticism as well, because some opposition candidates were barred from participating in the election through politically motivated criminal charges. The non-governmental organisation Freedom House has downgraded Benin to “partly free”.

    Seven parties were allowed to run in the peaceful parliamentary elections in January 2023. However, four of them did not attain the minimum of ten percent of the vote needed to win seats in parliament. The two largest parties, which support the government, won 81 of the 109 seats. One opposition party is now represented in the parliament again – Les Démocrates, which won 24.4 per cent of the vote and 28 of the 109 seats. The opposition claimed that there had been instances of electoral fraud and vote buying, but the Constitutional Court rejected these claims. Voter turnout was only 38 per cent.

    Human rights

    Restrictions on the freedom of the press and freedom of speech are increasing. In some instances, political opponents face criminal charges. For example, the Beninese media regulator suspended the Gazette du Golfe media group in mid-2023. The World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders ranks Benin 112th out of 180 countries evaluated.

    The independence of the judiciary is subject to restrictions as well. The justice system is marked by significant deficits and is considered to be prone to corruption. Conditions in prisons are poor.

    Child labour is widespread. And while child trafficking is illegal in Benin, the ban cannot be enforced properly because of corruption and inadequate identity documentation. It is especially in neighbouring Nigeria that many girls and boys from Benin are used as labour slaves.

    Even though gender equality is enshrined in the constitution, girls and women are disadvantaged in many areas. Domestic and sexual violence are widespread, as is the practice of genital mutilation. Moreover, girls have less access to education, often have to work in the household, family farm or family business, and are frequently married off before they are 18. Widespread traditional attitudes within society are exacerbating the challenge. The government has taken practical action to foster gender equality. Abortions were made legal under certain circumstances. A National Institute for Women was established, and measures against gender-based violence have been increased, among other things by strengthening the capacity of social centres. Since the elections in January 2023, women have held 27 per cent of the seats in parliament, up from less than ten per cent in the previous parliamentary term. In 2023, a new law on the rights of persons with disabilities was adopted.

    Deteriorating security situation in the north

    Instability is increasing in northern Benin. Armed Islamist groups, some of them from Burkina Faso, are using the border region as a safe haven. The number of attacks has increased significantly. Incidents are now being reported almost weekly. According to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a non-governmental organisation, violence against civilians increased by 23 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022.

    The Beninese government is trying to stabilise the situation by increasing security measures and government presence, and by recruiting new soldiers from the region. It has been able to partly regain control of the border with Niger and Burkina Faso. The Government of Niger has terminated the security agreement between Niger and Benin, ending all cross-border security cooperation between the two countries. As a result, new safe havens and areas for action are emerging for extremist groups.

    The worsening security situation is having an increasing impact on people in the border regions in northern Benin. Nightly curfews are curtailing economic activities. Some schools have been forced to close. Food insecurity and malnutrition are on the rise. At the same time, the government is putting restrictions on international and, more recently, also national pastoralism.

    In order to foster social cohesion and mitigate conflict over natural resources, Germany is putting a special focus on development cooperation projects in northern Benin. For instance, targeted support is being provided to municipalities in the north through KfW Development Bank. This is intended to increase people's resilience and their confidence in government institutions (see also: Core area “Conserving nature and natural resources, protecting life on Earth”).

    As at: 08/02/2024