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Benin
In Benin, EIF developed an action plan in coordination with partners aimed at fostering trade integration and developing trade-related capacity. EIF is supporting the country to incorporate these priorities in its Poverty Reduction Strategy and National Trade Development Strategy.
Targeted support in key sectors such as pineapple, shea almond and cashew is enhancing women’s involvement in economic life and strengthening the country's trade by promoting and diversifying its exports.
Learning to protect local cassava flour
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Prioritizing key sectors
- The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) supported Benin in updating its Diagnostic Trade Integration Study in 2015. This has resulted in, amongst other things, the strengthening of its EIF National Implementation Unit (NIU) and an extensive study on cross-border trade in terms of trade facilitation and the strengthening of regional trade dynamics. Based on the recommendations of this study, the Government of Benin has mobilized around USD 7 million from the national budget for the financial year 2023 to begin building the first cross-border marketplace on one of the southern borders with Nigeria. This demonstrates the EIF’s role in institutional capacity-building and facilitating country ownership.
- Before the EIF began its collaboration with Benin, the country did not have any national associations in key sectors such as shea, pineapple and cashew. The EIF, with the support of other partners, such as the European Union (EU), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, has helped establish national trade associations ("interprofessions") in these sectors and has provided support to mobilize the national and private sectors and development partners. The case of the shea sector has been very instructive in terms of partnership, thanks to the targeted actions of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), a non-governmental organization (NGO) that includes large shea companies.
EIF and the Government of Benin worked to better integrate the country into the global trading system by strengthening institutional abilities to develop and implement trade strategies and policies.
Results:
- Priorities identified in the DTIS Update and Action Matrix incorporated into Benin’s Poverty Reduction Strategy 2016-2020.
- Trade integrated in sectoral strategies on agriculture, industry, tourism and transport.
- 45 female hyacinth entrepreneurs received management training, with 22 trained in product diversification.
With the goal to reduce poverty by strengthening the production, commercial and exporting capacities of Beninese companies, EIF is providing technical assistance to SMEs in the pineapple, shea almond and cashew sectors.
Results:
- 35 managers from trade support institutions and the private sector participated in an ITC-led training covering tools for discovering and managing export markets.
- 5 training modules on trade integration, negotiation, competition, rules of origin and market access developed.
- Benin has a 'green pineapple' label to improve competitiveness in export markets.
- 45 producers received trainings on traceability system to enable company certifications.
Benin Action Matrix
2015 Benin DTIS Update
Progress Report on the Growth Strategy for…
Benin Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction (…
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