The Bénin-China cooperation is set to enter a new phase, shifting from large-scale infrastructure projects to focus on technology transfer, value addition, and job creation. After decades of collaboration, the two nations aim to create a more competitive and innovative economy in Bénin. The new ambition involves transforming the partnership into a platform for skills development, innovation, and value creation. This upgrade is crucial for Bénin's economic growth and development.
The current state of Bénin-China cooperation has yielded significant results, with bilateral trade reaching $1.1 billion in 2024. The partnership has led to numerous infrastructure developments, including roads, ports, and public buildings. However, the next stage of cooperation will focus on using these infrastructures to produce more, transform local raw materials, and create qualified jobs. Bénin's goal is to transition from a consumer market to a production, transformation, and export hub.
Simon-Pierre Adovèlandé, former Bénin ambassador to China, has called for a refoundation of the Bénin-China partnership, focusing on economic transformation and national productive capacity building. This refoundation aims to help Bénin move from a consumption economy to a production, transformation, and export space. The initiative is not meant to question the partnership's effectiveness but to give it a new ambition, leveraging its past successes.
China's initiative to exempt African products from customs duties is a significant opportunity for Bénin. However, to benefit from this initiative, Bénin needs to develop sufficient production volumes, ensure products meet international quality and sanitary standards, and establish reliable logistics. The tariff exemption will reward transformation and value addition. Bénin's industrialization, technical training, and technology transfer will be crucial in this process.
The Bénin-China cooperation can be strengthened in areas like industrialization, technical training, technology transfer, and scientific collaboration. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the Belt and Road Initiative, and other global initiatives can serve as levers for skills transfer and local product transformation. Bénin has significant potential in areas like cotton, cashew, soybean, and pineapple production, which can be harnessed through partnerships with Chinese companies.
To support industrialization, Bénin needs to make additional efforts in the energy sector, enhancing local energy production capacity to make electricity more reliable and accessible. A sharing of expertise and technology is possible with Chinese partners, such as the Yancheng Green and Low-Carbon Science and Technology Innovation Park. This park specializes in wind, photovoltaic, hydrogen, and energy storage technologies.
The development of human capital is crucial for Bénin's economic growth. Investment in technical and vocational training is essential to prepare the youth for future jobs. The Bénin-China cooperation should facilitate the sharing of expertise in this area. Ake Natondé, a deputy, emphasizes the need for centers of excellence to train the Bénin youth in future skills, enabling them to compete in the global economy.
Key points
- Bénin and China aim to deepen cooperation in technology transfer, value addition, and job creation.
