LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Benin: Benin Government
built 640 days ago
Political and commercial links between the United States and Benin were established in the 1960s and remained cordial until the 1980s. In the mid-1980s, under the former revolutionary regime, relations became tense as Benin forged closer ties with socialist countries and officially criticized U.S. policies. Since the democratic and economic reforms in 1989, the situation has improved considerably. Cooperation between the governments of Benin and the United States is excellent, as exemplified by President Nicephore Solglo's official visit to Washington in July 1995. The actual Head of State and Head of Government is President Mathieu KEREKOU.
Source:
In 1960, the Republic of Benin gained full independence from France. Between 1960 and 1972, a succession of military coups brought about many changes of government. The last of these brought to power Major Mathieu Kerekou, who converted his government to a Marxist-Leninist regime in 1975. Faced with a bankrupt economy in 1990, Kerekou convened a National Conference that introduced a new constitution and held democratic elections in which he was voted out of office. In 1996... Kerekou won the presidential election and returned to office for a five-year term. He was reelected in 2001, though alleged polling irregularities somewhat tarnished this victory.
Source:
The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin 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. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance.
Source:
Benin has undertaken significant economic reforms since 1990. The government signed on to Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the latter of which has a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) with Benin. These economic reforms, political stability, and the fact that the country started from such a low base in 1990 have enabled Benin to achieve an average annual economic growth rate of approximately four percent in the years since their implementation. However, despite a decade of positive GDP growth, poverty has not been reduced significantly due to sustained, rapid population growth of approximately three percent annually. Approximately 37% of the population still lives under the poverty threshold. Future prospects for growth are less promising. The Beninese government has forecast growth of four percent but some international financial institutions believe this is optimistic and expect rates to be lower or flat. Reduced capital investment and government revenue shortfalls stemming from decreased commerce with Nigeria (blamed on unfavorable exchange rates and increased customs enforcement) are cited as the principle reasons for the lower estimate.
Source:
The majority of Benin's population is concentrated in the southern edge of the country along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. The city of Cotonou is the main port and has evolved to become the largest city and commercial capital of Benin with approximately 450,000 inhabitants. Cotonou contains the country's government institutions, major industries, and entertainment and shopping districts. The historical town of Porto Novo, with nearby lagoons and stilted fishing villages, is the official capital of Benin and houses the Musée Éthnographique. Another major city, Abomey, is the site of the Abomey Historical Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Source:
Benin's politics takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Benin, who is currently Yayi Boni, is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the legislature. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The current political system is derived from the 1990 Constitution of Benin and the subsequent transition to democracy in 1991.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Benin Government