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Benin: Benin Government
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Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged.
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Benin is a democracy that functions reasonably well, particularly in comparison to other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its third presidential elections were conducted peacefully in March 2001 with widespread voter participation. Political violence is rare. There are no nascent insurrections or other politically motivated violent activities. Beninese in all regions feels free to express political views without fear of reprisal from the government. Benin enjoys friendly relations with its neighbors.
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Since the transition to a democratic government in 1990, Benin has undergone a remarkable economic recovery. A large injection of external investment from both private and public sources has alleviated the economic difficulties of the early 1990s caused by global recession and persistently low commodity prices (although the latter continues to affect the economy). The manufacturing sector is confined to some light industry, which is mainly involved in processing primary products and the production of consumer goods. Benin is dependent on imported electricity, mostly from Ghana, which currently accounts for a significant proportion of the country's imports. Benin has several initiatives to attract foreign capital to build electricity generation facilities in Benin in order to break this dependency. The service sector has grown quickly, stimulated by economic liberalization and fiscal reform.
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Three U.S. companies in Benin – Titan Wireless, Texaco/Chevron, and Kerr-McGee – have a substantial investment presence. Titan's investment of 46 million US dollars in a "Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT)" deal with the Benin Government’s Office of Post and Telecommunications (OPT) has given Benin one of the most modern mobile telephone networks in Sub-Saharan Africa. Texaco/Chevron provides aviation fuel for the International Airport in Cotonou, has completed its fourth service station in Benin, and has plans to open more service stations throughout the country. Houston-based oil independent Kerr-McGee has acquired rights to a deep-water block off Benin’s coast and drilled two exploratory wells in March 2003
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Currently, trade between Benin and the United States is small, but interest in American products is growing. The United States is interested in promoting increased trade with Benin in order to contribute to U.S. trade with Benin's neighbors, particularly Nigeria, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which receive large amounts of their own imports through the port of Cotonou. Such trade ... is facilitated by Benin's membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and in the CFA franc monetary zone. The U.S. Government also works to stimulate American investment in key sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and transportation. Benin has been eligible for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) since the program began in 2000. It qualified for AGOA textile and apparel benefits in January 2004.
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The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six years, but rapid population rise has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin has plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for speeded-up structural reforms.
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Benin Government