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Benin

Country focus

Water is abundant in Benin but rainfall varies widely. The country faces both seasonal water shortages and floods. Benin has started an ambitious programme to provide 100% of the population with piped water and sustainable sanitation in the foreseeable future.

OmiDelta programme

The Netherlands is one of Benin's most important donors in the field of water and sanitation. One programme in which the Water Support Programme is involved, is the ambitious OmiDelta programme that started at the end of 2016. The OmiDelta programme’s goals are to: provide access to clean drinking water for 500,000 people by 2021; access one million people with hygiene promotion and sanitation services; and, create a safer environment for 600,000 people in the Ouémé delta. This programme provides a platform for the Dutch water sector to share its knowledge and expertise on integrated water management, planning, operation and maintenance of water infrastructure.

Collaboration

In its role in the Water Support Programme, NWP strengthens the relationship between the Netherlands and Benin, and stimulates cooperation in various ways. NWP together with RVO, supports the Strategic Adviser on Water in its role of bridging the gap between the local and Dutch water sector.

As part of the Water Support Programme, NWP organises the Benin Country Platform that brings together governmental agencies, companies, knowledge institutes and NGOs with interests in Benin. The platform facilitates sharing of (local) knowledge, mapping opportunities and connecting organisations.

Mission report 2020

In 2019, the Dutch Government ended its bilateral water aid to Benin. Within this context, the Strategic Advisor on Water for Benin, Caroline Figuères, went on mission in early 2020 to maintain relations with national organisations working in the water sector. During her visit, she worked with the Dutch Embassy on ongoing activities; the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) projects; and the technical consultation platform of water stakeholders in Benin and the Netherlands. She made a scan of the interests and opportunities of Dutch actors in Benin and produced a mission report (in French) which highlights key findings in the areas of water supply, sanitation and integrated water resource management (IWRM).

The report gives recommendations on how to address some major issues related to cooperation and funding, highlights the importance of an integrated approach in developing initiatives/projects to connect clusters (e.g. water and food security (IWRM & Agriculture, WASH and nutrition, etc.), climate smart water and agriculture, including digitalisation, etc.). The report urges the Dutch water sector to lobby and advocate for new programmes with a regional and/or integrated multi-sectoral approach (including water) through central funds from the Dutch Government (DGIS and RVO), building on the experiences and lessons learned in the water sector in Benin during the last years.

Benin Platform Meeting Report

The mission was the foundation for discussion during the Benin Platform meeting held on 12 March 2020. Participants of the meeting had the opportunity to further address the WHY and the HOW to continue to engage with water actors in Benin. There were short pitches from Dutch water stakeholders on different levels of engagement in Benin.

Opportunities in Benin: Water & Agri-food Nexus

The event consisted of a presentation from Sigrid Meijers (First Secretary Food Security and Water with EKN Benin) on the Beninese and Dutch water and agri-food policy context, followed by a presentation by Ingrid Flink (Private Sector Development Coach (Benin & Togo) with RVO) on the available private sector development tools for Benin. Piet Vroeg (Project Manager with SNV) and Miriam Belhaine (Business Developer with Holland Greentech - Benin) both shared examples of their respective activities within the water and agri-food sector in Benin. The report shares the key messages of the event.