Benin Sustainable Development Report 2024

The Benin Sustainable Development Report 2024 is the third edition in a series of reports produced as part of the partnership between the Government of Benin and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

This edition aims to support the Government of Benin’s continued efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda, especially to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on water and sanitation (SDG 6). Achieving SDG 6 is a priority for Benin, as demonstrated in its 2021–2026 Action Program (PAG II) and the sizeable allocation of SDG Eurobond resources to the water sector (€85.12 million or 17.5% of the total allocation).

The analysis of Benin’s performance and trends towards achieving the SDGs shows that:

• Benin is halfway to achieving all 17 SDGs, with a score of 55.6 out of 100, above the population-weighted average of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

• Overall, Benin is performing better than the average of ECOWAS member countries in terms of achieving the SDGs. Although it still faces major challenges in achieving several SDGs, these are fewer in number than in the rest of the subregion. Benin's significant progress on SDGs 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 13 (Climate Action) will need to continue as the country continues to develop.

• At the current rate of progress, Benin is on track to achieve SDGs 1 (No Poverty) – which focuses mainly on eradicating extreme poverty – 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities) – almost 29.6% of the targets measured in this report are on track to be achieved by 2030. Yet declining trends on SDGs 4 (Quality Education), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) need to be monitored.

• However, Benin is lagging behind the subregion on SDG 6, particularly in terms of basic drinking water and sanitation.

The qualitative analysis, drawing on the “Six Transformations” framework (Sachs et al., 2019), of the interactions between SDG 6 and the strategic priorities of GAP II (2021–2026) – the operational planning instrument for government action in Benin – shows that:

• GAP II strategic priorities 1 (Strengthening democracy and the rule of law), 2 (Consolidating good governance), 3 (Strengthening the macroeconomic framework and maintaining its stability) and 4 (Accelerating economic growth) have relatively lower potential impact on SDG 6.

• Strategic priorities 5 (Promoting quality education and technical and vocational education and training), 6 (Improving people’s access to basic social services and social protection) and 7 (Strengthening the balanced and sustainable development of the national space) support the most significant transformations towards achieving SDG 6.

• Notwithstanding the considerable investments in the water and sanitation sectors, assessment of GAP II budget allocations shows that the majority of government funding is directed towards strategic priority 4, which has limited impact on SDG 6 compared to strategic priorities 6 and 7, despite some positive spillover effects. Strategic priority 4 is however most likely to bring positive changes in the structure of the economy.

The case study on safe drinking water access in Benin shows that the Government has implemented major reforms and investments towards improving access to drinking water, particularly in rural areas. The SDG Eurobond has also enabled Benin to step up these government initiatives. From 2017 to 2022, access to improved drinking water increased by 83.5% in rural areas in Benin, reaching 76.7% in 2022, and increased by 30.5% in urban areas, to 71.8% in 2022.

To strengthen its efforts to achieve the SDGs, particularly the water and sanitation objectives under SDG 6, Benin must adopt a targeted, integrated approach as suggested in the directions for future action proposed by SDSN Benin. Although considerable progress has been made, particularly through the substantial SDG Eurobond allocation which has injected a very positive dynamic into improving drinking water access, challenges remain. Increased investment in water and sanitation infrastructure, in both urban and rural areas, is crucial to achieve SDG 6. Particular attention should be paid to GAP II strategic priorities 5, 6 and 7, with a view to reassessing budget allocations towards resources in the water and sanitation sectors. The adoption of the Defined Public-Private Partnership Mechanism (Mécanisme du Partenariat Public-Privé Encadré) for managing water infrastructure, along with the low-cost connection model, are essential to ensuring equitable and affordable access to water services for all. Finally, the modernizing of public procurement procedures must be accelerated to improve project transparency and efficiency.

Ahead of the Summit for the Future in September 2024, this report once again demonstrates the Government of Benin’s strong commitment to achieving the SDGs. It also shows that the country faces challenges in achieving SDG 6. The Summit will be an opportunity for Benin to reaffirm its priorities and set ambitious targets to further advance the implementation and achievement of SDG 6 and the 2030 Agenda as a whole. The Benin Sustainable Development Report 2024 will also help the Government of Benin to identify the challenges and needs that its country faces and define an operational strategy that can leverage the support of technical and financial partners at the Fourth United Nations Conference on Financing for Development in June 2025.