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Ph:DR: Mr. Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director and Executive Secretary of the EIF at the WTO,
The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is a trade aid that the WTO provides to LDCs which face difficulties in exporting their agricultural production. The LDCs are therefore the main beneficiaries of EIF support, which is currently at the end of its second phase. Mr. Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director and Executive Secretary of the CIR at the WTO, discussed the CIR’s support for LDCs in several productive sectors during a briefing session. The CIR has supported Benin since 2003 in the fields of studies, agriculture, trade, etc. With the Beninese Minister of Commerce and Industry, its promise to support the organization of a cotton day in Benin next October holds.
Abu Dhabi, Aline AssankPON
The Reinforced Integrated Framework (CIR) provides financial and technical support (in terms of capacity building) to LDCs in order to enable them to be competitive on the international market.
In Benin, the CIR provides support in project studies and especially in the agricultural field, notably the production of export crops such as pineapple, cashew, shea and electronic commerce. “Regarding cotton, I had a meeting with the Beninese Minister of Commerce and Industry who told me aannounces that there will be a Cotton Day in Benin planned for October 2024. And the CIR will support this initiative ambitious that we appreciate. The CIR will also take part in this day” a confidant Ratnakar Adhikari.
Asked what support Benin can still benefit from the CIR for the implementation of its objectives in terms of cotton processing, the Executive Director reassures about his promise made to the Beninese Minister of Commerce and Industry, «who has Express the same concern when is the transformation of all cotton production in Benin?. «Even to the end of the 2e implementation phase of the said Program, the CIR continuesra to work to support Benin in this initiative. For now, we are in the transitional phase for positive action with limited resources, but we will give the best of ourselves to support Benin. In most member countries we use a lot of’energies to support countries with other partners” he promises.
Indeed, the support of the CIR comes after the countries themselves identify their priorities. The CIR supports the C-4 Group for example: (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad) in the production and export of cotton. “ CThis support integrates the government’s action plan and more resources are allocated for these priorities, hence the integration of trade into the government’s national plan through the support of certain productive sectors.
The actions carried out by the CIR aim to put trade at the service of economic prosperity aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses. to trade and develop types of jobs that improve living conditions populations; a stimulusis sustainable economic development and reduce poverty.
A CIR publication reveals that the CIR’s contribution to integrating trade into Benin’s 2018-2025 National Development Plan has given rise to other major reforms in the commercial and industrial sectors.
In the industrial sector, this included increased support for the local processing industry through easier access to approvals of the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme and to the Community preferential taxation of the Economic and Economic Union. monetary policy of West Africa.
Regional quality infrastructures have been created and strengthened through the development of the National Quality Policy. Special economic zones have now been created following the enactment of a law on the subject. In addition, technical centers were established regarding food processing and packaging and construction, while 33 industrial facilities were licensed.
“The commercial sector has benefited from effective support for exports of Beninese products, including export incentives, the removal of non-tariff barriers and the establishment of a modern and adapted market ecosystem” confirms the Executive Director.
Targeted support in growing sectors
Targeted support in key sectors such as pineapple, shea, cashew, soy and rice helps increase women’s participation in economic life and strengthen Benin’s trade through promotion and to the diversification of exports.
A census exercise carried out as part of a project carried out jointly by the government of Benin and the CIR revealed that more than 28,000 shea producers were women. At the same time, export figures show an increase in international demand for shea from countries such as South Africa, China, South Korea, Egypt and Japan and an increase by 50% of the number of shea kernels harvested since 2018.
Despite this significant contribution, Benin’s shea producers did not have a national association. The EIF contributed to the establishment of a national association in the shea sector and provided support to mobilize the public and private sectors through the Global Shea Alliance, an EIF partner, and the initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). “The aim was to increase the participation of Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo in the regional and global shea markets. Together, these countries represent 61% of global shea exports.
From policy to action to get the most out of it
Companies in the shea sector, mainly formalized women’s cooperatives, have benefited from training on export procedures with the contribution of the private sector. They also benefited from the construction of around twenty storage warehouses.
Pineapples occupy the third place among Benin’s agricultural products with up to 500,000 metric tons produced each year. The shea and pineapple value chains, where women represent nearly 80% of the actors, constitute primary sources of employment, women’s empowerment, export income, raw materials for the industry and food for local populations.
“Benin is today the fourth largest exporter of pineapples in Africa. Even though overseas exports represent only 2% of total production, they constitute half of the sector’s profits. The sector has experienced and overcome significant setbacks, including in 2017 when the government voluntarily stopped exports to the EU due to high levels of use of a chemical by farmers to turn sugar loaf pineapples yellow. , which are naturally green, and thus adapt to the preferences of European consumers. The Beninese government spent eight months resolving the problem of the chemical’s use. As part of its partnership with the CIR, significant progress has been made to improve the harvest, processing and marketing of the fruit.
In 2021, Benin sugarloaf pineapple was granted protected geographical indication (GI) status, a legal label signifying that a product comes from a particular region. GI status is also attributed to Gari Sohoui. (It is a flour based on cassava grown in a particular region of Benin and manufactured using methods specific to the region). The status was achieved through a project led by the EIF and in which the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) acted as the implementing sub-entity.
“GI certification is likely to increase the value of a product due to the high-end character given to it”. This certification for Pineapple and Gari Sohui reinforces the promise of a lucrative future for farmers, the industry and tens of thousands of workers in the pineapple and cassava sector.
Following the various supports to Benin which appears to be “a good student”, beneficiary of the CIR Program, the Beninese Government can rightly hope that the confidence established through the implementation of various projects will be renewed in the third phase. from the program.