The weekly Council of Ministers meeting of the government of Benin was held on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, under the presidency of President Patrice Talon. Many topics were discussed during this session. Please find below the complete summary of the decisions made.
I- NORMATIVE MEASURES.
Transmission to the National Assembly for examination and voting of the bill on public project management in the Republic of Benin.
Public project management is a strategic management tool that guarantees the efficiency of the acquisition process in terms of reducing internal risks, saving time through the use of procedure manuals, and relying on external expertise.
In light of its importance, a directive was adopted within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) in 2014, which member states must take into account in their regulations. The objective is to harmonize rules regarding public procurement and promote the creation of a common market in this area.
In Benin, the legislation that regulates public project management in general and the organization of delegated project management in particular dates back to 2001.
The current bill aims to ensure compliance with the community directive and its provisions apply to the studies, monitoring, and implementation of all building works, infrastructure, as well as industrial or specialized equipment intended for their operation.
The bill clarifies and explains the relationships between public project management, project management assistance, project management, and technical control.
It also defines the responsibilities of the public project owner and the conditions required for forming partnerships and agreements or entrusting a public institution with the execution of works or investment programs.
Furthermore, the conditions for resorting to project management assistance, the related missions, project management, as well as the mission of technical control, are also defined.
The Minister of Urban Development and Transportation, in charge of Sustainable Development, and the Minister of Justice and Legislation are instructed to ensure the follow-up of the legislative procedure.
As for other normative measures, the following decrees were adopted:
The creation and approval of the statutes of the Benin Radio and Television Company (SRTB S.A.) by merging the Benin Broadcasting and Television Office (ORTB) and the Multimedia Center for Adolescents and Youth of Benin (CMAJB);
The creation of the Logistics Company for Events and approval of its statutes; as well as decrees establishing:
The regulatory framework for the salary scale, various allowances, bonuses, and benefits of municipal police officers;
The conditions and procedures for organizing initial training and exams for the Certificate of Aptitude for the Notary Profession.
II- COMMUNICATIONS.
II-1. Feasibility Studies and Project Definition as part of the operationalization of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and Big Data.
The approval of this strategy by the Council of Ministers in its meeting on January 18, 2023, established four programs whose implementation is linked to the conduct of feasibility studies in order to detail the content of projects and activities to be carried out under appropriate technical, legal, economic, financial, and social conditions. These studies will focus on:
Integration of basic and continuing education programs specific to programming, the fundamentals of artificial intelligence languages, and big data management into the education system;
Equipping training structures (universities, institutes, and training and research centers) to handle artificial intelligence and big data projects and promoting partnerships in the field;
Adoption of regulations governing ethical and accountability issues in the field of artificial intelligence and the creation of a controlled environment for the development of related initiatives;
Implementation and deployment of capacity-building programs for public and private actors, as well as users of artificial intelligence.
The completion of these feasibility studies will provide detailed profiles for each program and allow for the direct implementation of projects.
Therefore, the Council agreed to contract with the identified consulting firm, with the Minister of Digitalization and Digital Economy tasked with overseeing the process.
II-2. Contractualization for the Delegated Project Management Mission for the development, nursery installation, and construction of buildings in the Sèmè City campus in Ouidah.
As a reminder, the 336-hectare site of the campus is planned for:
The establishment of at least thirty higher education and vocational training institutions adapted to changing skills;
The installation of at least ten modern research laboratories and centers for research and commercial valorization;
Creating an ecosystem conducive to innovative projects and start-ups, with incubators, accelerators, demonstrators, and innovation spaces.
The urban planning, development, and architectural programming studies for the site have already been completed, and the start of infrastructure development for the first phase covering 174 hectares is scheduled for the end of 2023, so that the first part of the campus can be operational to welcome students by September 2025.
The Council has authorized the contract signing with the Society of Road Infrastructure and Territorial Development (SIRAT) and instructed the relevant ministers to ensure the proper execution of the ensuing agreement.
II-3. Implementation of the Construction Project for the Cultural and Creative Quarter in Cotonou.
This high-profile cultural project aims to showcase the potential of the economic capital of Benin, add content to the tourist destination, stimulate the ecosystem of cultural and creative industries as drivers of economic power, international influence, and competitiveness, while promoting a creative economy.
The project includes:
The implementation of a creative ecosystem in the heart of the city centered around the structuring facility of the Contemporary Art Museum of Cotonou;
The construction of a symbolic territory reflecting Benin’s dynamism and avant-garde positioning in the field of the creative economy as a cultural capital, the epicenter of art and cultural and creative industries in West Africa.
This will include the emergence of an art gallery district, artist workshops, true places of creation and production; laboratory spaces managed by artists as creative experimentation areas; artist residences, research and creation spaces; creative agencies in media, advertising, architecture, audiovisual production; showrooms for fashion designers as exhibition and fashion design sales venues; offices and coworking spaces, businesses and services; a binational Benin-French cultural center; and the mixed craft market in Cotonou, etc.
In summary, the Cultural and Creative Quarter is the space in which the density of cultural facilities, museums, theaters, artistic creation workshops and events, generates a local dynamic and a highly attractive creative ecosystem.
To implement this important project, the Council has approved the contracting with various service providers for architectural design, project management assistance, project management, technical studies, and supervision of the execution of works.
II-4. Hotel Technical Assistance and Management Mission for the Coastal and Urban Hotel Complex in Akpakpa-Cotonou.
The hotel complex will be built on the former PLM ALEDJO and EL DORADO hotels, covering an area of approximately 27 hectares with a total of two hundred (200) rooms.
The project specifically contributes to strengthening the hotel reception facilities in our country with high-quality, internationally compliant accommodations.
To ensure its effective implementation, the Council has authorized the formalization of an agreement with the Rotana Group, and the relevant ministers have been instructed to closely monitor the successful execution of the project within the contractual deadlines.
II-5. Project Management Assistance in the Restructuring Project of the UNAFRICA Complex – Center for Craft Promotion (CPA) in Cotonou.
The renovation project of the UNAFRICA complex and the Center for Craft Promotion in Cotonou (Phase 1) was initiated to enhance the balanced and sustainable development of this space. It will integrate into the ongoing improvements to strengthen the tourism offering of our country, which is a source of economic growth.
The mission to be entrusted to the selected company will provide support in all aspects of the project during the feasibility, design, construction, and commercialization phases.
The relevant ministers will carry out the necessary procedures for signing the contract and ensure the initiation of other actions for the effective start of the project.
II-6. Deployment of New Teacher Trainees at the Ministry of Preschool and Primary Education.
In this sub-sector, to date, 14,097 trainee teachers have been employed with contracts in order to achieve the goal of having one teacher per class.
However, retirements, deaths, and an increase in the number of classes due to the growth in the student population reveal a gap of 417 vacant positions for the current academic year.
Therefore, the Council approved a new deployment to fill these needs.
IV- INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS.
The following activities have been authorized under this section:
The organization in Benin:
An international master class on advanced digestive endoscopy simulation in November 2023;
The Second Scientific Days of the Beninese League Against Epilepsy from November 14 to 16, 2023;
The 14th World Fisheries Day from November 19 to 21, 2023;
The 2023 meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the West Africa Gas Pipeline Authority on November 23, 2023; and
Benin’s participation:
In the Comparative Administration Exchange in Kigali, Rwanda, from November 19 to 25, 2023;
In the World Radiocommunication Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 20 to December 15, 2023;
In the 24th edition of the Casablanca Poultry Show “DAWAJINE 2023” from November 28 to 30, 2023;
In the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
V- INDIVIDUAL MEASURES.
The following appointments have been made:
At the Presidency of the Republic:
National Agency for Food and Nutrition:
Director-General: Mr. Alain HINKATI
Ad hoc Committee to Support the Implementation of Reforms in the Higher Education Sub-Sector:
Coordinator: Mr. Brice SINSIN
Rapporteur: Ms. Prisca GOGAN
Members:
Ms. Marie-Odile ATTANASSO
Mr. Stanislas TOMAVO
At the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research:
Director of the Population Training and Research Center: Mr. Koffi Benoit SOSSOU
Dean of the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences at the University of Abomey-Calavi: Mr. Bonaventure AHOHUENDO
Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques: Ms. Alice KPOTA
Deputy Director of the National Institute of Physical Education and Sports: Mr. Albert TITO
At the Ministry of Urban Development and Transportation, in charge of Sustainable Development:
Director-General of Water, Forests, and Wildlife: Mr. Rémi HEFOUME.
Done in Cotonou, November 8, 2023,
The Secretary-General of the Government,
Edouard OUIN-OURO.
