Relations between the European Union and Benin are strengthening and bearing good fruit. En effet, de nouvelles priorités sont définies dans le cadre de cette coopération et sont contenues dans le Programme indicatif multi-annuel (Pim) 2021-2027. Through this initiative, the European Union intends to support the Benin government’s action programme to the tune of 255 million dollars.
The multi-annual indicative programme drawn up by the European Union for Benin from 2021 to 2027 was presented on Tuesday 8 February in Cotonou in the presence of several government ministers under the aegis of Romuald Wadagni, Minister of the Economy and Finance. The presence of a strong European delegation headed by Ambassador Sylvia Hartleif, Head of the EU Delegation to Benin. To this end, an initial envelope of 255 million euros or more than 147 billion CFA francs is planned for the period 2021-2024 with a view to consolidating this partnership and making progress in the key sectors defined. Thus, through this fund, the European Union (EU) plans to support the efforts of the Beninese government.
Three common priority areas for cooperation were identified in the document. These are “human and natural capital”, with a particular focus on vocational training and social protection and inclusion, followed by environmental protection and biodiversity. The second area focuses on “Green and Digital Economic Growth”, which covers targeted interventions in the port of Cotonou, renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. A third priority area selected is based on the notion of a “Secure and Prosperous Society”, to support good governance, private sector promotion, peace and stability in an increasingly deteriorating regional context.
“Today we mark an important step in our cooperation, committing ourselves to long-term support for our common priorities. Our partnership is not only quantitative, but above all qualitative and in the coming years, my team and I will strive to put Benin at the heart of European opportunities, instruments and strategies to support our common values and interests,” said Ambassador Sylvia Hartleif, Head of the EU Delegation to Benin.
As one might expect, the project aims to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the cooperation between the European Union and Benin to create favourable conditions for economic transformation and sustainable and inclusive growth.
For Romuald Wadagni, Minister of Economy and Finance, “this new programme which covers the period 2021-2024 is formulated in support of the implementation of the Government Action Programme (Pag) 2021-2026 in a context of post-Covid-19 recovery.” This will allow, he continued, “not only to pursue and improve the development projects opened, but also to ensure a sustainable partnership for the structural economic transformation of Benin.
Moreover, the Beninese authorities aim to achieve the sustainable development objectives of the United Nations’ Agenda 2030 and those of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 through the PAG from 2021 to 2026,
