Context

Benin's Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) was validated in March 2006 with support from the World Bank and Denmark. The priority actions identified in the DTIS Action Matrix were incorporated in Benin's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which was adopted in February 2007. Trade, recognized as one of the key factors for accelerating economy growth and reducing poverty, has been included in Benin's PRSP through the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) 2011-2015.

In light of the current challenges facing Benin government and in compliance with the choices and priorities defined by the PRSP, the Strengthening Productive and Trade Capacities (RCPC) of Benin project proposes concrete actions to support the production and trade capacities of enterprises. It provides a response to the needs expressed by the different national technical structures as well as beneficiaries concerned by its implementation in respect of their field of competence.

_Strategy

Since May 2015, the government of Benin has begun implementing a Tier II project on Strengthening Productive and Trade Capacities of Benin under the aegis of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF). The project focuses on three priority sectors with significant potential impact on poverty reduction: the food industry (pineapple, cashew and shea), cotton textiles and fisheries.

The technical implementation of activities is mainly realized by the national technical structures with support from EIF agencies, including UNIDO, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) according to their mandate and expertise.

In this context, UNIDO was selected to ensure that capacities of trade and industrial support structures are strengthened to offer services tailored for economic operators, in order to enable them to be more competitive on targeted export markets. More specifically, UNIDO’s technical assistance focuses on:

 •  Result 1.2: The National Quality Policy is finalized and adopted;

 •  Result 2.1: Capacities of three technical structures (one structure per sector) are strengthened ;

 •  Result 2.3: Capacities of consulting sector (national) are strengthened in terms of products valorization ;

 •  Result 2.4: Capacities of the structure in charge of quality are strengthened in terms of traceability management ;

 •  Result 3.4: 30 enterprises assisted to ensure their upgrading ;

 •  Result 3.5: Coaching for the development of actions related to industrial partnership in the selected sectors is realized.

The main stakeholders of the project are the following:

 •  Ministries and institutional structures ;

 •  Private and public technical support structures ;

 •  Enterprises engaged in production and exportation operating in priority sectors.

_{Impact/Outlook}

It is expected that the project implemented in Benin will:

•  Strengthen capacities of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Small and Medium Enterprises for the development and promotion of businesses.

•  Strengthen capacities of public, parastatal and private structures to implement and sustain the capacity building Programme for export products are strengthened.

•  Improve and promote the competitiveness of enterprises in identified priority sectors with high export potential at international level.