Benin Challenges for Democratic Ownership and Development Effectiveness Aurélien C. Atidegla Groupe de Recherche et d’Action pour la Promotion de l’Agriculture et du Développement (GRAPAD) / Reality of Aid Africa Introduction This has been the case with the development process of the SRCP3 (3ème Stratégie de This chapter focuses on the assessment of the Croissance pour la Réduction de la Pauvreté – 3rd implementation of the Paris Declaration (PD) Growth Strategy for Poverty Reduction), which and the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) in is the policy framework defined by government Benin based on two (2) key criteria: democratic and donors to ensure the implementation of the ownership and development results for the PD principles and the commitments reflected in people. It intends to give an overall civil society the AAA. alternative insight on major issues for Official Development Assistance (ODA) on these two (2) CSOs have been “associated” with the process thematic areas. by having two (2) representatives in the SCRP3 steering committee. However, the approach and CSOs’ terms of their participation have not Democratic ownership enabled them to make a significant contribution by having their voices and proposals heard. This Participation situation stems from the fact that they are a Despite efforts made in recent years to involve civil significant minority, and that their views are not society organizations (CSOs) in the formulation, based on previous broad consultations with civil implementation, monitoring and evaluation of society actors. development policy processes, participation in decision –making on ODA allocation involving the Indeed, considering the high importance of the Beninese government and donors remains low. SCRP3 which will be the reference framework for national development during the next five In fact, when government officials and Technical (5) years, such civil society contributions should and Financial Partners (TFP) determine the come from an independent national consultation, conditions for CSO participation, the latter are carefully prepared, and involving all Beninese often given one or two seats at the last minute, civil society components. This approach would when no actual preparation is possible. Aside comply with the commitment to a “broadened from this, the needed documentation is not dialogue“ recommended by the AAA and would provided on a timely basis and the CSOs identified enable all civil society actors’ comments and by government are not necessarily those who are consensus suggestions. the best informed on the issues at stake. In the end, such constraints have prevented CSOs from A broad consultation also allows government and having real influence on decision-making. donors to be clearly informed about the actual 45 Africa Benin motivations of civil society, its positions on CSOs. Many now recognize that the public is development priorities, and areas which the latter insufficiently informed about ODA decisions. deem their engagement as their responsibility. They are also bereft of means to adequately monitor their implementation. Aware of the poor level of this participation, and keen for an improvement, the civil society Since 2010, however, some concrete efforts have platform called the “Plateforme des Acteurs de la been made to improve access to information Société Civile du Bénin” (PASCiB1), convened a on aid flows with the creation of the Cellule national consultation and a multi-actors’ dialogue de Coordination de l’Aide au Développement4 on the SCRP3 development process before its (CCAD), and with the elaboration of the national finalization. A memorandum specifying criticisms policy on aid, which included participation of and proposals was issued following this meeting, all CSOs. These measures do reflect positively which was addressed to the Beninese government on the government’s commitment in favor of a and to the TFP. Unfortunately, this apparently has transparent and open process, allowing access had no specific impact2. The process went forward, to information to all stakeholders. Therefore, involving state actors alone with the development recurring concerns from CSOs regarding difficulty of the government’s Priority Action Plan (PAP). in access to information from donors will be solved with the establishment of an information Participation has also been very weak involving system available to the public. This system will other actors such as the private sector and also allow for the coordination of all forms of parliament, which have raised questions on the aid flowing to Benin. relevance of government’s adopted approach. Accountability Transparency The Beninese financial system has been highly Transparency and access to information are major dysfunctional these last years, what with several concerns for all actors and were among the goals scandals (CEN-SAD, financial operations / ICC of the 2008 government action plan to improve services, agricultural equipment procurement) aid effectiveness in the aftermath of Accra HLF3. aside from persistent corruption within the Unfortunately, progress has been slow, and until public administration. Although the media report recently the situation regarding information on these scandals and despite government’s measures ODA funding was even worse. in the fight against corruption, the situation does not seem to improve. The only information available to the public on funding agreements signed by the government Indeed, the Council of Ministers sanctioned was usually culled from the media (TVs, radios some public servants on the basis of audit results and newspapers). Access to these agreements is which have been conducted by competent limited to direct stakeholders of the programs bodies. Nevertheless, administrative sanctions and, in most cases, such information could not be did not follow in most cases and some sanctioned obtained through “Contrôle Citoyen de l’Action individuals were even nominated to other Publique” (CCAP)3 initiatives conducted by some functions in government.5 46 Africa Benin In other words, even if there are no new laws, the reasons to explain the slowness of this progress, current law allows government to pursue those including the non-participatory approaches who are guilty. Until now, however, most of the used by government, inadequate institutional cases revealed by the audits were not followed by framework and lack of political for the conduct judicial sanctions. of a true and open dialogue. These are especially true in the face of CSOs’ advocacy for the Recent audits show that the National System implementation of the AAA commitments. of Public Finances remains flawed with bad practices, such as abuses in the use of The following recommendations need to be taken “emergency” implementation procedures and into account in order to improve the situation: their payment orders, and delays at all levels in the implementation of external accountability 1. To elaborate, in a concerted approach7 with mechanisms performed by the DGTCP6 and CSOs, Government, Private Sector, TFP by the Parliament. Indeed, important delays and Parliament, a Strategic Framework in the vote on regulations are common and allowing Non-State Actors to participate in consequently, donors are increasingly reluctant to the elaboration, implementation, monitoring align with the national system and provide general and evaluation processes for development budget support. policies and programs, and to support the institutionalization of this framework as a For the general population, government sustainable mechanism for structured dialogue, accountability practices are also insufficiently allowing for effective and accountable developed in Benin. There are no mechanisms participation of Non-State Actors. to inform the population on government expenditures on their behalf and on the real 2. To improve the institutional framework results of those programs and projects. The for the management and coordination of annual speech on the State of the Nation delivered development aid by updating legal regulations, at the end of the year by the Head of State at the clarifying the roles and responsibilities of National Assembly is the only opportunity for the different actors, establishing information people to be informed of development results. mechanisms adapted to the needs of different But such results, in the view of opposition parties stakeholders and strengthening technical and many CSOs, are usually overestimated or capacities of organizations in charge of the hard to verify. implementation of the national aid policy. At the level of local authorities, accountability to 3. To support initiatives for public action and the population is becoming part of the regular citizen control at all levels, in order that citizens practices of some communal councils, to the might positively influence the consideration credit of CSO efforts. of new laws and other regulatory and legislative acts regarding aid management at In summary, democratic ownership issues and all levels (including procurement), while at realities remain insufficiently tackled, although the same time strengthening parliamentary some initiatives taken before and after the 3rd control to improve the management of Accra HLF have been positive. There are various Public Finances. 47 Africa Benin Development Results Extreme poverty, according to INSAE reports (2007, 2009), is estimated to be 20% and has not Poverty reduction varied since 2006. Globally, poverty has worsened in the most recent