Bénin launches first open government action plan

Eighteen months after joining the Open Government Partnership (OGP), Benin hosted a five-day national workshop in Cotonou to deepen understanding of open governance principles and lay the groundwork for the country’s inaugural National Action Plan.

From July 27 to 31, representatives from public administration, state institutions, civil society, private sector, technical and financial partners, and media gathered to align on the OGP’s core requirements and co-create the foundation for Benin’s first National Action Plan. The workshop served as a critical preparatory phase before nationwide consultations across all twelve departments.

Building on progress with measurable commitments

Victorin Honvoh, cabinet director at the Ministry of Budget and Public Service, framed Benin’s OGP membership as a natural extension of ongoing reforms focused on transparency, accountability, information access, anti-corruption efforts, and citizen participation. He emphasized that sustained collaboration between government and non-state actors would be essential to success.

Mireille Hortense Codjovi, Director of the Open Budget Hub and OGP National Focal Point, highlighted the workshop as a precursor to departmental consultations designed to capture citizen priorities. These insights will shape the first draft of the National Action Plan, she noted.

The initiative is supported by multiple partners, including Expertise France’s PAGOF2 program, GIZ, Swiss Cooperation, UNICEF, and the European Union.

Translating existing strengths into concrete OGP commitments

Jean-Pierre Degue, Vice President of the OGP Technical Committee, underscored that the partnership unites nations committed to enhancing public transparency, citizen participation, and institutional accountability. He acknowledged Benin’s existing progress in budget transparency and civic engagement but stressed the need to formalize these gains into measurable OGP commitments.

International expert Gustavo Pérez Ara outlined the partnership’s three pillars—citizen participation, transparency, and accountability—citing Benin’s existing dialogue between administration and civil society as a key asset for future progress. Chabi Kassim Taba, advisor to the Court of Audit, chaired sessions examining how to integrate open governance principles into public institutions’ daily operations.

The workshop’s recommendations, combined with departmental consultation results, will form the basis for drafting Benin’s first OGP National Action Plan.