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JOINT SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
Located in the Gulf of Guinea, the Republic of Benin in West Africa is bordered by Niger in the north, Burkina Faso in the northwest, Togo in the west, Nigeria in the east, and the Atlantic Ocean in the south. The country has several areas of action that require short and long-term support from humanitarian organizations. Benin’s valuable wetlands and fisheries which have high potential for tourism in the country— are increasingly being affected by rapid urbanization along its coast with increased demand for land, water, and other natural resources. Military infrastructure and extraction of sand present significant threat to its coastal areas. Like most West African countries, the country suffers from the adverse effects of climate variability and change, the manifestations of which result in increased recurrence of extreme weather events such as devastating floods, long droughts, heat waves and torrential rains among others. Climatic emergencies lead to waves of cross-border movement which leads to social conflicts between herders and farmers in several municipal areas of the country.
While the government has adopted laws to combat the rising threat of climate change in the country, especially its marine ecosystems and human settlements, the situation remains bleak. Natural hazards often provoke waves of cross-border migration, which is compounded by security threats in
northern Benin, leading to already vulnerable populations abandoning their crops and residences.
Benin faces health emergencies such as epidemics of viral haemorrhagic fever such as that of Lassa, malaria, cholera, meningitis, measles, yellow fever, and most recently, monkeypox. The health situation in Benin also highlights the unsatisfactory quality of healthcare, the poor development of human resources, poor planning for the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure and equipment. More than 38,122 children under the age of five die each year in Benin, with 37.8 per cent of the deaths occurring due to malaria, diarrhoea, and acute respiratory infections. While the government has launched several public initiatives to improve health indicators, such as immunization programmes for children, promoting family planning, fighting malaria, improving water and sanitation facilities, and raising awareness of best hygiene practices, the vulnerability and social needs of Beninese are far from being met.
The World Bank estimates that several global and regional socioeconomic shocks could affect poverty reduction trends in the country. Benin faces volatility in the price of food, energy, and fertilizers due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, impact of WAEMU sanctions against neighbouring Niger, the fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, political instability in neighbouring Sahel countries, growing insecurity, and social tensions in the North. These will adversely impact poor and vulnerable households, thereby slowing poverty reduction and pushing more households into situations of fragility.