Benin has secured financing commitments worth nearly €100 million from France to support electricity infrastructure, agriculture and forensic science.
The agreements were signed during President Romuald Wadagni’s first official visit to France on October 5, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and discussed bilateral relations, security, energy, training and culture, according to Benin Web TV.
The package comprises two agreements with the French Development Agency (AFD) totaling €94.4 million, as well as a €5.39 million mandate letter with Bpifrance. About €79.4 million will finance the modernization of the distribution network operated by the Benin Electric Energy Company (SBEE).
Under the project, more than 120,000 new connections are expected to be installed in 750 localities across 15 municipalities in the Mono, Couffo and Borgou departments. The programme is intended to improve supply reliability, narrow regional differences in access to electricity and reduce SBEE’s technical and commercial losses.
Agriculture will receive about €14.94 million, including funding for fish farming and other value chains such as poultry, rabbit farming, oilseed and protein-crop production.
The Bpifrance mandate will open negotiations on the Research, Investigation and Forensic Analysis Platform, known as PRIAM. The project is being developed with the Forensic Hematology Laboratory in Bordeaux and is designed to strengthen Benin’s forensic investigation capacity.
