Water supply and sanitation in Benin

The share of domestic funding increased from 9% in 1997 to 25% in 2002. However, the sector still depends strongly on external funding. Overall expenditure decreased from US$11.87 million in 1997 to US$8.57 million in 2002. The share of total government spending to the sector varied between 1.2 and 3.5%. [cite journal
last = World Bank
authorlink = World Bank
title = Benin - Enhancing the effectiveness of public spending - a review of three sectors
date = 2004-12-20
url = http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2005/01/11/000012009_20050111085004/Rendered/PDF/296560BEN.pdf
accessdate = 2008-05-21, p. 119-120; 127]

The Ministry of Economic and Financial Development reported in 2006 that there is no appropriate mechanism for the development of the urban water supply. External support is indispensable for the implementation of investment programs.

Financing the latest national strategies

Rural and semi-urban areas The necessary financial ressources to reach the MDGs in rural and semi-urban areas from 2006 to 2015 have been estimated to about US$396 million (189 billion CFA) or US$40 million per year. The Ministry of Economic and Financial Development concludes that the MDGs will not be achieved if the expenditures for the sector continue in the same amounts as in the years 2002 to 2005. However, if all available resources are mobilized, Benin will be able to reach the MDGs concerning rural water supply. [Based on an extrapolation of the provided financial resources for the years 2006-2009; source: fr icon cite journal
last = Ministry of Economic and Financial Development
coauthors = Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water
title = Strategie pour l'atteinte de la cible 10 de l'objectif N°7 des OMD au Benin. (Version définitive)
date = December 2006
url = http://www.undp.org.bj/docs/omd/OMD_EAU.pdf
accessdate = 2008-05-21, p. 24]

Urban and peri-urban areas The required financial resources to finance the achievement of the MDGs in urban and peri-urban areas have been estimated to be about US$400 million (191 billion CFA) or US$40 million per year from 2006 to 2015. [fr icon cite journal
last = Ministry of Economic and Financial Development
coauthors = Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water
title = Strategie pour l'atteinte de la cible 10 de l'objectif N°7 des OMD au Benin. (Version définitive)
date = December 2006
url = http://www.undp.org.bj/docs/omd/OMD_EAU.pdf
accessdate = 2008-05-21, p. 18; 24] The implementation of the 2006-2015 strategy to reach the MDGs in urban areas is expected to be financed by the national state, municipalities, development partners, financial institutions and SONEB. For small and medium water systems, the financing will be provided by the municipalities, by the central state through public budgets, and by development partners. Large systems will be financed by the national state, municipalities, development banks and development agencies through credits and loans. Peri-urban areas and people with lower incomes will receive subsidies and donations with the help of development partners.

The SONEB will finance investments for maintenance and rehabilitation of electromechanical installations with its own financial resources. Therefore, it is planned to improve the self-financing of SONEB through an appropriate tariff system and other measures.

Sanitation In order to achieve the MDGs concerning sanitation, the Ministry of Economic and Financial Development estimates that US$218 million (104 billion CFA) or US$22 million per year will be needed from 2006 to 2015.

External cooperation

The 1992 demand-responsive strategy for rural water supply and sanitation (see above) has been implemented since 1993 with the strong help of external development partners in several departments. The different programs are summarized under the Assistance Program for the Development of the Water supply and Sanitation sector in Rural areas (PADEAR).fr icon cite journal
last = Ministry of Economic and Financial Development
coauthors = Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water
title = Strategie pour l'atteinte de la cible 10 de l'objectif N°7 des OMD au Benin. (Version définitive)
date = December 2006
url = http://www.undp.org.bj/docs/omd/OMD_EAU.pdf
accessdate = 2008-05-21, p. 6]

Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)

DANIDA was the first development partner, which together with the World Bank financed the implementation of the 1992 strategy in the departments of Zou and Atlantique in 1993. Five years later, PADEAR financed by DANIDA started in the departments of Alibori and Borgou.

The Second Phase of the Water and Sanitation Sector Programme Support began in 2005 and it has a duration of five years. The objective of the program is to reduce poverty in rural and semi-urban areas through improved water supply coverage, promotion of hygiene and basic sanitation and sustainable water resources use.The program consists of the five components sector budget support, institutional support, water supply and hygiene education, sanitation and support to the private sector. The total budget is about US$65 million (DKK 306.4 million). [1 Danish Krone = US$0.21150 (2008-05-26); source: http://oanda.com] [cite web
last = Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
authorlink = Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
title = Benin - Danida DevForum
date = 2007-10-05
url = http://www.danidadevforum.um.dk/en/menu/Topics/SocialDevelopment/Water+and+Sanitation/Programmes/CountryProgrammes/Benin/
accessdate = 2008-05-26]

French Development Agency

The French Development Agency (AFD) contributes about USD22 million (EUR13.8 million) [1 Euro = US$1.57672 (2008-05-26); source: http://oanda.com] to the program budget 2005-2008, which aims to fight poverty and to ensure improved access to water supply and sanitation. Besides a contribution to the program budget of the Collines Department, the program support includes a component to support the methodology of the program budgets for objectives (BPO) and decentralization, among others, and another component to assist the definition of a sustainable administration policy of rural water supply schemes. [fr icon cite journal
last = French Development Agency
authorlink = French Development Agency
title = Base projets - Hydraulique Rural
date = 2007-10-16
url = http://www.afd.fr/jahia/jsp/jahia/templates/myjahiasite//AFD/projet/pdf_import/20071214_CBJ1108_HYDRAULIQUE_RURALE.pdf
accessdate = 2008-05-06]

Germany

The German development partners Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and German Development Bank (KfW) financed PADEAR in the departments of Oueme and Mono in 1996. Since 2001, they also financed PADEAR in five municipalities of the Atakora Department and two municipalities of the Donga Department. In addition, the German development cooperation supports urban water supply and Integrated Water Resources Management. Concerning urban water supply, SONEB and its regional branches are supported. Both rural and urban development cooperation entail a large number of infrastructural measures. [cite web
last = Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
authorlink = Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
title = GTZ. Priority areas
url = http://www.gtz.de/en/weltweit/afrika/benin/1006.htm
accessdate = 2008-05-26]

The Netherlands

Thanks to the Netherland's support, more than 300,000 people were provided with new water points. From 2007 to 2011, the Netherlands finance a program to improve rural water supply and sanitation. The national government of Benin also received funds for the implementation of a hand washing campaign. In addition, the gradual implementation of decentralization to local institutions and municipalities is supported. [fr icon cite web
last = Dutch Embassy in Cotonou
title = Ambassade Cotonou (Fr) - Coopération
url = http://larepubliquedubenin.nlambassade.org/cooperation
accessdate = 2008-05-26]

World Bank

Since 2003, the World Bank has supported the Republic of Benin through Poverty Reduction Support Credits (PRSCs). The first (2004-2005) and the second (2005-2006) PRSCs, which together provided US$50 million were both designed to help the implementation of the 2002 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and included support for improving water supply. [cite journal
last = World Bank
authorlink = World Bank
title = Poverty Reduction Strategy Credit - 1st PRSC
date = 2004-02-24
url = http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?Projectid=P072003&Type=Overview&theSitePK=40941&pagePK=64283627&menuPK=64282134&piPK=64290415
accessdate = 2008-05-26] [cite journal
last = World Bank
authorlink = World Bank
title = Second Poverty Reduction Strategy Credit
date = 2005-05-24
url = http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?Projectid=P074313&Type=Overview&theSitePK=40941&pagePK=64283627&menuPK=64282134&piPK=64290415
accessdate = 2008-05-26]

econd Decentralized City Management

Together with the French Development Agency, the World Bank contributes to the Second Decentralized City Management program, which started in 2005 and is expected to end in 2010. The program's objective is to increase access to infrastructure and basic services in the Beninese cities of Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Parakou, Abomey-Calavi, Kandi and Lokossa. Under the program, basic infrastructure including sewerage is rehabilitated and/or constructed. Community participation and integration is supported, in particular in poor neighborhoods. [cite journal
last = World Bank
authorlink = World Bank
title = Projects - Benin : Second Decentralized City Management
date = 2005-09-22
url = http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P082725
accessdate = 2008-05-26]

Water and Sanitation Program

The World Bank's multi-donor partnership Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) is active in Benin and has established a country presence in 2004. The activities focus on the implementation of a strategy to reach the MDGs, in particular in rural areas, where the WSP supports the development and implementation of a communication action plan and a maintenance pilot project. Together with other development partners, the WSP seeks to introduce a strategy for urban water supply and sanitation. In addition, the WSP helps to develop a national hand washing initiative. The WSP works in a close partnership with the World Bank's Water and Urban Unit - West Africa and national development agencies.

References

External links

* [http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2008/cr08125.pdf Government of Benin: Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction (2007)]
*fr icon [http://www.gouv.bj/ministere.php?id_rub=33&lib_rub=Minist%C3%A8re%20des%20Mines,%20de%20l'Energie%20et%20de%20l'Eau%20(MMEE) Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water]
*fr icon [http://www.soneb.com/ National Water Society of Benin (SONEB)]