The government of Benin has presented a three-year decentralization roadmap, covering 2027-2029. The roadmap was unveiled by Minister of Decentralization and Local Governance, Janvier Yahouedehou, at the first ordinary session of the Technical Group on Decentralization, Deconcentration, and Territorial Planning. The roadmap aims to enhance decentralization, making it more effective and tangible in the daily lives of Benin's population.
The roadmap is built on three main pillars. These include the development of 77 performing communes, promotion of citizen participation and accountability, and the establishment of a national local governance system based on performance, data, and results. Minister Yahouedehou emphasized that this roadmap is designed to "go further, together," reflecting the government's ambition for more effective decentralization.
Several concrete initiatives were announced to support the decentralization reform. These include the creation of the Digital Observatory of Communes, a national online platform that will centralize and make essential information on the 77 communes accessible. Additionally, a Integrated Bank of Local Projects, the Grand Prix of Local and Citizen Excellence, the Green and Clean Commune Challenge, and two new dialogue spaces - the Mayors' Salon and the National Conference of Territorial Collectivities - were presented.
The role of citizens in local governance is a central aspect of the roadmap. Minister Yahouedehou stressed that citizens should not only benefit from public action but also be actors in it. He promoted the concept of "The State is me," emphasizing the importance of citizen engagement in governance. The roadmap also includes the establishment of the Communal Investment Fund, which aims to strengthen the investment capacities of territorial collectivities.
The session also addressed concrete issues, including the adoption of the roadmap for the joint sectoral review, the general orientations of the regionalization process, and the validation of the report on local governance. The meeting was marked by the signature of the 2024 aide-memoire of the 2025 joint sectoral review. Minister Yahouedehou called for frank and constructive exchanges, focusing on concrete proposals.
Technical and financial partners have welcomed the decentralization dynamic. Gabriella Spirli, representing the partners, praised the ongoing reforms, particularly the regionalization of development, which she described as a significant evolution. She expressed interest in the Communal Investment Fund and reaffirmed the partners' conviction that effective decentralization is crucial for achieving the country's development objectives.
The implementation of the roadmap is expected to enhance decentralization in Benin, making it more effective and responsive to citizens' needs. The government aims to ensure that decentralization leads to tangible results, improving the daily lives of the population. The roadmap provides a framework for collaboration between the government, technical and financial partners, and local authorities to achieve these objectives.
Key points
- The roadmap focuses on 77 performing communes, citizen participation, and a performance-based local governance system.
- The government aims to enhance decentralization, making it more effective and tangible in the daily lives of Benin's population.
- Technical and financial partners have welcomed the decentralization dynamic, praising ongoing reforms and expressing interest in the Communal Investment Fund.
