2023-07-13 00:37:38
The new resident representative of the World Bank in Benin, Nestor Coffi was received on Wednesday July 12, 2023 by the Minister of State, Minister of Economy and Finance, Romuald Wadagni, Governor of Benin for the World Bank. On leaving the hearing, he recognized and welcomed the country’s modernization efforts and lifted a corner of the veil on the first projects to which he intends to devote himself in Benin.
Bidossessi WANOU
At the beginning of the mission to Benin, Nestor Coffi, resident representative of the World Bank Group in Benin, went to discuss with the Minister of State, Minister of Economy and Finance, Romuald Wadagni, Governor of Benin for the World Bank. On the occasion, the two men reviewed relations between Benin and the World Bank and took stock of all the programs supported by the institution. “I had the opportunity to discuss with his Excellency the Minister of State the situation of the portfolio, all the programs that our institution is running with the authorities of Benin and the people of Benin”. If the quality of the program alone is not enough, it was also an opportunity for the New Resident Representative to discuss with the Minister of State the arrangements to be made for their development. “We were also able to discuss the arrangements that must be made to ensure that this program can move forward, in particular, proposals that will strengthen the mobilization of resources and ensure that these programs can have the maximum impact for the populations”, he continued. “Very delighted with this audience”, Nestor Coffi said he was delighted to be able to continue this partnership that his institution maintains with Benin. During this audience, he said he took the opportunity to receive the advice of the Minister of State Governor, in order to better understand the context of the progress of his mission in Benin in order to better succeed in achieving the objectives.
Has broken sticks
“We have a country which is modernizing enormously, which is going at an extraordinary speed”
Tell us about the first projects you plan to tackle
It is important in such a mission to agree on the strategic orientations. Benin has a government action plan which sets its national policy. In 2018, our institution developed a partnership framework with Benin, which was based on the government’s action program. This partnership framework is coming to an end, we are in the process of developing a new partnership strategy with Benin which will be based on the achievements, the lessons that have been learned and above all the new directions that the Republic of Benin would like to initiate. with the institution or the entire World Bank Group. We therefore intend to make real progress on this project so that in the coming months, the new strategy will be discussed at the level of the institution.
The second pillar is within the framework of IDA 2020. A set of priority programs have been discussed between the World Bank and Benin. These programs, we intend to ensure that funding can accompany the implementation and especially that we can accelerate disbursements.
The third point that seems important to us is to explore the new dynamic of the evolution of the entire World Bank, which is in the process of anchoring itself at the global level throughout the world and ensuring that the voice of Benin be heard. In this sense, it will be a question of listening to the population to see how global funding can be accelerated and have the maximum flexibility so that the populations who are suffering, whether from human crises or linked to the climate, may have quicker answers than what is today. So much for this first year of my taking office, of course, other elements will come during the mission. We are listening and we will be very open to consider the new deals that can be integrated as and when.
The World Bank Group does not operate alone in Benin. I was able to make contact with certain partners who also intervene in development in the African context, the fight against poverty, in particular the bilateral partners but above all the UN agencies. We are therefore going to strengthen this framework of collaboration with the other institutions
You said you know a little about Benin, what is your view of economic management and governance?
Benin is known to be a stable country, a very good reputation for macroeconomic pressure and governance at all levels. We have in the past conducted missions within the framework of World Bank operations here in Benin. It goes back a few years but the Benin that I discovered a few weeks ago is very different. We have a country which is modernizing enormously, which is going at an extraordinary speed and we believe that we will be able to support this process of modernization and the economy, especially of Beninese society.
Merci
Bidossessi WANOU
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Q. A.
juillet 12, 2023
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