2023-11-22 23:42:04
Views: 35
(Towards the establishment of the e-diaspora platform in 2024)
Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari before MPs
This is the first time that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari appears before the Budget Commission of the National Assembly to defend the main lines of his predictable budget for the year 2024 for the implementation of a 4 D diplomacy (Availability – Diaspora – Digital – Development). For this first financial year this Wednesday, November 22, 2023, the minister presented a budget of 16,112,066,000 FCFA. An amount which saw a decrease of 4.06% compared to the 2023 budget.
According to the minister’s presentation, this reduction translates not only into a reduction in personnel expenses, but also in expenses on goods and services. Indeed, operating expenses stand at 15,112,066 for 2024 compared to 16,093,972 in 2023; personnel costs amount to 8,938,365 compared to 9,732,424; goods and services at 6,073,701 against 6,261,548. As for capital expenditure, 1,000,000 is planned against 700,000 and the current transfer is estimated at 100,000 as in 2023.
According to the summary table of appropriations opened for the year 2024, the budget is divided into three programs. The first, entitled: “Management and support for the ministry” aims to improve the performance of the ministry. Program 2 “Diplomacy and External Relations” is the first professional program. Its general objective is to contribute to the revitalization of diplomatic action. As for program 3, “Attractiveness and influence of Benin abroad”, it aims, among other things, to promote attractiveness, economic, cultural and tourist diplomacy, and constitutes the second professional program.
During the presentation of the budget of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Boxed
Three major projects to be implemented in 2024
1- The E-DIASPORA PROJECT
It is a flagship project carried by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. After reviewing their diplomatic card, Beninese in the diaspora experience certain difficulties in obtaining documents. The E-Diaspora Project will allow them to obtain these documents, and thus bring them closer to their Nation.
2- Modernization of diplomatic administration
Continue and digitize diplomatic archives at the level of the Ministry and diplomatic posts of Benin abroad
3- Renovation of diplomatic missions abroad
Renovate Benin Embassies Abroad.
These three projects allow the Minister to implement a 4 D Diplomacy next year (Availability – Diaspora – Digital – Development)
Availability: This concerns the availability of the entire diplomatic network. Provide service to citizens. This is also the first mission of executives at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Diaspora: Beninese people abroad are the country’s first ambassadors. Attention must be paid to them, through the issuance of their consular documents.
Digitalization: It is the tool to use to maintain the link with our compatriots abroad
Development: This is the final road map set by the Head of State.
Explanations from Minister Olushegun Adjadi Bakari
“It is a real pleasure not only to discuss with the national representation regarding the 2024 draft budget, but also to present the major projects that we will try to implement at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On the collected figures, the draft budget for the year 2024 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is established at around 16 billion FCFA, a slight drop of 4% compared to the budget for the year 2023. But this drop in reality comes from the fact that there is a reduction in staff linked to retirements at the ministry level. Therefore, we can consider that there is stability in the budget envelope knowing that for 2023, there were major investment projects, notably the construction of the residence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. So, if we remove this investment element, the draft budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 2024 is in positive development compared to the year 2023. In terms of objectives for the year 2024, firstly there is an important component which will be the establishment of the e-diaspora platform, the objective for us being to ensure that the Beninese wherever they are on earth can have access to basic services and that we can support them on the consular requests and official documents. This project will help reduce the distance between the State and our compatriots who live abroad. The second very important area on which we will work next year is the modernization of the digitalization of diplomatic administration to ensure that the continuity of diplomatic action is ensured decade after decade.
For this, there is a whole effort to digitalize and transform the ministry. Finally, because this represents an important part of our visibility, there will be major repair and rehabilitation projects for our various diplomatic missions because they represent Benin and project the image of Benin (…) With the Members, we talked about a lot of subjects. Beyond budgetary issues, they addressed concerns relating to the diplomatic map. They also wanted to know the measures we are implementing to support our compatriots in the diaspora. We explained to them that the diaspora will be at the heart of the actions we want to implement. They wanted to know what the policy of the actions carried out by the government was to be able to resolve the various crises that we face in the sub-region. It was a very rich discussion. My team and I are leaving Porto-Novo with many recommendations that will allow us to strengthen our actions for the influence of Benin…”
Faithful KENOU
#Minister #Bakari #defends #budget #billion #Diplomacy