Press Release: Benin Sustainable Report 2022

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The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) releases its first pilot baseline report on SDG policies, progress and trends in Benin.

Benin is the first African country to benefit from a detailed analysis by the Sustainable Development Solution Network (SDSN).

Among lower-middle income countries, Benin is one of the few countries^[1] with a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Cotonou, July 13, 2022 - The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Benin, published the pilot baseline report on Benin’s policies, progress and trends towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This report is intended to be a reference document for achieving the SDGs in Benin. It presents Benin’s starting point in its new commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda following the inaugural issue of the SDG Eurobond in 2021. It is the first report to provide an independent analysis of the country’s SDG performance and trends compared to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as the policies and progress. The Sustainable Development Report for Benin 2022 is also the first to analyze and measure various dimensions at the level of the country’s twelve departments in order to “leave no one behind”^[2]. The efforts, progress and political commitment made by Benin to achieve the SDGs are also included in the report.

The key findings of the report are:

• Benin is halfway to achieving the SDGs with a score of 50.7 out of 100 for all 17 SDGs.

• Benin stands out from the rest of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with progress since 2015 on SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and 14 (Life Below Water) for which the majority of countries in the sub-region are stagnating or even regressing.

• Compared to higher income countries, Benin is doing relatively well on SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 13 (Climate Action).

• At the subnational level, the “leave no one behind” index covers the following four dimensions: inequalities in access to public services, extreme poverty and material deprivation, gender inequalities, and inequalities of income and wealth. The index reveals disparities between the regions of Benin.

• Analysis of the Government Action Program (PAG 2021-2026) through the SDSN’s “Six Transformations” framework shows that it coherently targets Benin’s challenges to achieve the SDGs.

This report is an important tool for decision makers committed to a coherent and progressive approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda SDGs.

Announced and presented during the United Nations’ 2022 High Level Political Forum (HLPF22), the publication of this report is a continuation of the efforts implemented by the Government of Benin since 2016 to include 2030 Agenda at the heart of its development policy. After a coordinated approach to domesticating the SDGs, which made it possible to prioritize targets and assess the costs of achieving the SDGs, Benin has put in place a medium-term strategic planning process for Agenda 2030. This resulted in an analysis of the SDG alignment of the national budget at the level of all ministries before the start of the budgeting process.

In July 2021 Benin issued an international bond issue dedicated to financing projects with a high impact on the achievement of the SDGs for an amount of 500 million euros – the first of its kind in Africa

Benin’s commitment to participate in the achievement of sustainable development is strengthened by the partnership established with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), an organization mandated by the United Nations Secretary-General, recognized for its independent analysis and expertise.

Romuald Wadagni, Benin’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Minister of State, said: “The work done so far to implement the 2030 Agenda is considerable. However, we want and need to continue to make progress”.

Eve de la Mothe Karoubi, head of the SDSN networks team, added: “Benin is a world leader in its ownership and efforts for the 2030 Agenda. This strong commitment by the government, despite the remaining challenges, is what stands out in our analysis.”

About the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Benin:

The Ministry of Economy and Finance of Benin is responsible for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the general policy of the State in budgetary, economic, financial and monetary matters, and in the constitution and conservation of the State’s real estate and property assets. It develops strategies for the mobilization and securing of resources on behalf of the State, ensures the quality of spending and the proper management of assets as well as national and international financial commitments, in accordance with international conventions, laws and regulations in force in the Republic of Benin.

About SDSN

The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) mobilizes scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector to support practical problem solving for sustainable development at local, national and global levels. SDSN has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary‐General. SDSN is building national and regional networks composed of research institutes and universities, solution-
oriented thematic networks, and the “SDG Academy,” an online university for sustainable development.

Contacts

Maëlle Voil | media@unsdsn.org | +33 (0) 6 99 41 70 11