Review of African Political Economy
Country Profiles and Links to Research Resources
Republic of Benin
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Benin (formerly Dahomey) in West Africa stretches from desert in the north, down to the 'slave coast' of the Gulf of Guinea, the site of its two major cities: Porto Novo (the capital) and Cotonou (the largest city and unofficial centre of government).

It achieved independence from France in 1960 and rapidly fell prey to frequent military intervention (1963-72). In 1972 power was seized by Major Matthieu Kérékou, who eliminated or co-opted his main rivals, and introduced stabilising political reforms, which kept him in power as head of a nominally 'marxist' regime. Economic decline and democratic struggle brought to power Nicephore Soglo in 1990, but while he won the first presidential election in 1991, corruption and nepotism helped lose him the second (in 1996) - to Kérékou.
 
Published in the Journal
*Democratization in Africa: African Views, African Voices, edited by Sahr John Kpundeh Review by Gordon Crawford from Vol.21 No.59 of the Review of African Political Economy (January 1994: pp140-142)
*Restructuring an Authoritarian State: Democratic Renewal in Benin Article by Chris Allen from Vol.19 No.54 of the Review of African Political Economy (July 1992: pp42-58)
*Toxic Terrorism Briefing by Phil O'Keefe from Vol.15 No.42 of the Review of African Political Economy (Summer 1988: pp84-90)
*The Lagos Accord for National Reconciliation in Chad Briefing by E G H Joffe from Vol.8 No.21 of the Review of African Political Economy (Summer 1981: pp100-102)
Links to Other Sites
*Web Report: Benin 'NEP' Benin National Employment Program - text of government plan in English and French, plus detailed tables of the skills being sought (planben.intnet.bj/pne/index.htm, 07-May-97)
*Home Page: UNB Université Nationale de Bénin - description of the national university, includes 'UNESCO Chair of Human Rights and Democracy' (www.bj.refer.org/benin_ct/edu/univ-be/univ-be.htm, FRENCH)
*Home Page: Bénin Contact/REFER Réseau électronique francophone d'information - general info site, with regularly updated resources includes contacts details for all newspapers (www.bj.refer.org, FRENCH)
*Web Links: Benin - UPenn University Pennsylvania SAS - Benin - small collection of links to resources on Benin (www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Country_Specific/Benin.html, )
*Web Report: Human Rights in Benin University Minnesota Human Rights Library/Benin - comprehensive account of 'Status of Human Rights Organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa - Benin' (www1.umn.edu/humanrts/africa/benin.htm, 06-Oct-96)
*Home Page: Cotonou WordPorts Cotonou Site - commercial web pages devoted to the Cotonou port (www.cotonou.com)
*Home Page: BOL Benin OnLine - site apparently aimed to tourism promotion, but includes good review of the local press (elodia.intnet.bj/bol/index.htm)
*Home Page: CDI Discover Benin Découvrez la République du Bénin - Centre de Documentation et d'Informatique's pages including political structures and individuals (planben.intnet.bj/gov/index1.htm, 11-Dec-98, FRENCH)
*Home Page: ACSO/OFPA African Civil Services Observatory - co-ordinating body for civil services of 26 countries, based in Cotonou (www.bj.refer.org/benin-ct/cop/ofpa/page1.htm)
*Home Page: OPT Benin Offices of Posts and Telecommunications, Benin - government site for communications - often disconnected from internet! (www.bj.refer.org/benin-ct/cop/ofpa/page1.htm)
*Home Page: PACIPE Programme d'Assistance Technique a la Communication et a l'Information sur la Protection de l'Environment - includes bulletins for EC supported programme; incorporates 'CIDE' Centres d'Information et de Documentation pour l'Environnement (elodia.intnet.bj/pacipe/pacipe.htm, 24-Nov-98, FRENCH)
*Web Links: Index on Africa - Benin Africainfo/Africaindex Benin - Norweigan africainfo link collection (www.africaindex.africainfo.no/africaindex1/countries/benin.html)
*Web Report: WB Report 12706 WB 'Toward a Poverty Alleviation Strategy for Benin' - exec summary of World Bank report 12706 from 'Good Practice in Non-Lending: Gender in Poverty Assessments' (www.worldbank.org/gender/know/beninpv2.htm, 20-Aug-94)
*Web Report: WB Project BJPA118 WB 'Benin 2nd Health and Pop Sector Project' - outline of project in poverty alleviation (www.worldbank.org/pics/pid/bj118.txt, 15-Mar-95)
*Web Report: Internet in Benin Internet in Benin - document by Ken Lohento of UNB on internet plans (www.bj.refer.org/benin_ct/med/lohento/, FRENCH)

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