Benin - The economy

Report No. 2079-BEN The Economy of Benin FILE COPY May 31, 1979 Western Africa Regional Office FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Document of the World Bank This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may riot otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency Unit is the CFA franc (CFAF) with a fixed parity of 50 CFAF per French franc. CFAF per US Dollar Period Period Average End of Period 1970 278 278 1971 277 256 1972 252 256 1973 223 230 1974 241 222 1975 214 224 1976 239 248 1977 246 235 1978 on 245 - GOVERNMENT FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY THE ECONOMY OF BENIN Table of Contents Page No. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ... .............................. vi I. SOCIAL AND POLITICAL BACKGROUND ..... .................... 1 II. RECENT ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE, 1972-76 .......4 A. New Economic Policies and Institutions. 4 B. Growth and Its Determinants .6 C. Expenditure on Available Resources .12 D. Public Finance ..16 E. The Balance of Payments and Foreign Aid .20 F. Monetary Developments and Prices .24 G. Human Resources .26 H. Living Conditions .30 III. DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS, 1977-85 ...33 A. The Three-Year State Development Plan (1977/78-1979/80) .33 The Plan .33 Development Strategy .35 Allocation of Resources .35 Resource Mobilization .37 National Planning System .39 B. Medium-Term Prospects .40 Strategy ........... .....*... 41 Production ....42 Manpower ....42 Public Finance . ... 44 Balance of Payments . . 46 Bank Group Financing Terms .....47 ANNEX A. AGRICULTURE ..48 ANNEX B. INDUSTRY . .. .82 ANNEX C. TRANSPORT ..99 ANNEX D. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS OF ONCHOCERCIASIS CONTROL IN BENIN . 106 ANNEX E. STATISTICAL PROBLEMS ..116 STATISTICAL APPENDIX ... .......................................... 117 This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.   List of Text Tables Table Page No. 1. Growth and Structure of GDP 7 2. Selected Foodcrop Production 8 3. Selected Industrial Crop Production 9 4. Selected Production in Modern Industry 10 5. Expenditure on Available Resources 13 6. Investment and Its Financing 14 7. Foreign Aid Commitments by Sector, 1972-76 15 8. Central Government Financial Situation 17 9. Public Savings and Investment 20 10. Summary Balance of Payments, 1972-76 21 11. Terms of Trade 22 12. External Debt 24 13. Monetary Survey 25 14. Selected Indicators of Price Trends 26 15. Breakdown of the Labor Force by Qualification, 1975 27 16. Summary of Three-Year Plan Investment 34 17. Mission Estimate of Foreign Financial Commitments for Investment, 1977/78-1979/80 38 18. Macro-Economic Projections 40 19. Target Modern Sector Workforce, 1985 43 20. Supply and Demand of Qualified Manpower, 1975-85 43 21. Public Finance Projections 45 22. Balance of Payments Projections 46   PREFACE This introductory basic economic report was written by a World Bank mission which visited Benin in September-October 1977. The mission consisted of Ms. J. Noel (mission chief) and Messrs. D. Bovet (economist) and R. Brown (agricultural economist) of the Bank, and Messrs. L. Dudley (consultant to the Canadian International Development Agency) and R.C. Sawadogo (Onchocerciasis Control Program). The previous Bank economic mission visited Benin in June 1972 and its report, Economic Situation and Prospects of Dahomey (No. 191a-DA), was released on August 20, 1973. Owing to the long hiatus since the last economic mission to the country, and the intervening change in Government, the present report includes coverage of institutional developments against the background of longer-term trends and the underlying economic structure. The report was discussed in draft form with the Government in December 1978, and appropriate changes to the descriptive and policy-oriented sections of the report were subsequently made. Benin's unusually weak data base has meant that much of the analysis in this report is based on estimates prepared by the mission. Therefore, the data presented must be considered as tentative and subject to future revision when official figures become available. Updated or revised figures could not be obtained, in most cases, at the time the draft report was discussed with the Government, and the report retains most tables as prepared by the 1977 mission. We nevertheless believe that the basic economic trends are accurately re- flected in this report.  Page 1 of 2 pages BENIN ECONOMIC INDICATORS GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT IN 1976 ANNUAL RATE OF GROWTH (X, current prices) US$ Mln. X of GDP 1972-1976 GNP at Market Prices 556.0 103.1 13.7 GDP at Market Prices 539.3 100.0 12.8 Gross Domestic Investment 108.2 20.1 24.0 Gross Domestic Saving 26.4 4.9 87.0 Current Account Balance -47.5 -8.8 -27.0 Exports of Goods, NFS 144.8 26.8 12.5 Imports of Goods, NFS 226.6 42.0 13.9 OUTPUT, LABOR FORCE AND PRODUCTIVITY IN 1976 Value Added Labor Force V.A. Per Worker US$Mln. Z Mln. X US$ X Agriculture 186.7 37.9 0.848 58.7 220.2 64.5 Industry, Construction & Public Works 72.3 14.6 0.031 2.1 2,332.3 683.6 Government 56.1 11.4 0.063 4.4 890.5 261.0 Commerce and Transport 137.0 27.8 0.504 34.9 271.8 79.7 Other Services 41.0 8.3 .. .._ *- GDP at factor cost 493.1 100.0 1.445 100.0 341.2 100.0 GOVERNMENT FINANCE Central Government (CFAF Bln.) % of GDP 1976-77 1976-77 1972-75 Current Receipts 23.8 16.7 14.9 Current Expenditure 16.6 11.7 14.0 Current Surplus 7.1 5.0 0.9 Capital Expenditures 19.0 13.4 9.2 External Debt Disbursements (gross) 7.6 5.3 3.6 MONEY, CREDIT AND PRICES 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 (Billion CFAF outstanding end period) Money and Quasi Money 12.26 13.89 14.79 18.45 31.86 30.63 33.32 Bank Credit to Public Sector -0.82 -0.51 -1.16 -2.42 -2.95 -2.30 -5.34 Bank Credit to Private Sector 8.53 10.41 12.73 16.45 32.45 32.10 37.00 (Percentages or Index Numbers) Money and Quasi Money as 18.4 17.5 23,7 19.3 29.6 23.8 21.4 % of GDP General Price Index (1969 = 100) .. 117.3 118.9 141.8 155.3 167.8 182.1V/ Annual percentage changes in: 2/ General Price Index 4.4 *. 1.4 19.3 9.5 8,0 15.2 Bank Credit to Public Sector .. 37.8 -127.5 -108.6 -21.9 22.0 -132.2 Bank Credit to Private Sector 15.3 22.0 22.3 29.2 97.3 -1.1 15.3 Note: All conversions to dollars in this table are at the exchange rates noted on the following page. 1/ June 1977. 2/ First six months of 1977, on adjusted annual basis. .. not available  Page 2 of 2 pages TRADE, PAYMENTS AND CAPITAL FLOWS BALANCE OF PAYMENTS 1972 1975 19763/ 19773 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS (AVERAGE 1972-1976, RECORDED) (US $ million) US $ million % Exports of Goods, NFS 85.8 117.9 144.8 190.4 Cotton 13.3 35.2 Imports of Goods, NFS 127.5 182.8 226.6 297.1 Cocoa Beans 5.8 15.4 Resource Gap (deficit = -) -41.7 -64.9 -81.8 -106.7 Palm Products 14.2 37.7 All Other Commodities 4.4 11.7 Interest Payments (net) -2.9 -1.3 -0.4 -0.3 TOTAL 37.7 100.0 Workers' Remittances 3.0 15.0 17.1 15.1 Other Factor Payments (net) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Net Transfers 7.3 8.4 17.6 13.9 Balance on Current Account -34.2 -42.8 -47.5 -78.0 EXTERNAL DEBT, December 31, 1976 Direct Foreign Investment 4.8 1.9 0.0 10.6 US $ million Net MLT Borrowing 4.8 9.3 24.7 20.8 Capital Grants 19.0 20.6 25.9 44.7 Public debt (disbursed), incl. guaranteed 101.3 Other Capital (net) 1.9 12.0 10.9 1.9 Non-guaranteed private debt Other Items n.e.i. 2.8 -7.2 9. 6 0.0 Total outstanding and disbursed Use of Reaervea (increase -) 09 6.2 -4.4 0.0 Gross Reserves (end year)!/ 28.4 15.0 19.2 20.6 Net Reserves (end year)! 23.7 23.8 22.7 12.8 DEBT SERVICE RATIO FOR 1976 - Petroleum Imports 4.0 15.1 17.1 21.2 as % of Total Imports 3.1 8.3 7.5 7.1 Public debt (disbursed) incl. guaranteed 4.2 Non-guaranteed private debt Total outstanding and disbursed EXCHANGE RATES (CFAF per US $) Year Period Average End of Period 1972 252 256 IBRD/IDA LENDING, April 30, 1978 IBRD IDA 1973 223 230 (US $ million) 1974 241 222 1975 214 224 Outstanding and disbursed 0.0 31.4 1976 239 248.5 Undisbursed 0.0 25.4 1977 246 235 Outstanding incl. undisbursed 0.0 56.8 1/ Gross foreign assets of Central Bank. 2/ Net foreign assets of monetary system. 3/ Estimated. 4/ Preliminary estimate of ratio of debt service to exports of goods and non-factor services. not available WA2DA May 12, 1978  - iv - ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AfDB African Development Bank AGB Societe d'Alimentation Generale du Benin BCEAO Banque Centrale des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest BBD Banque Beninoise de Developpement (formerly Banque Dahomeene de Developpement-BBD) BCB Banque Commerciale du Benin (formerly Societe Dahomeene de Banque-SDB) BOAD Banque Ouest Africaine de Developpement CAA Caisse Autonome d'Amortissement CARDER Centre d'Action Regionale pour le Developpement Rural CATS Cooperative Agricole du Type Socialiste CCCE Caisse Centrale de Cooperation Economique (France) CCN Commission Cerealiere Nationale CEB Compagnie Electrique du Benin CFA Communaute Financiere Africaine (formerly Colonies Francaises d'Afrique) CNCA Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole CNEP Commission Nationale d'Etat de la Planification COBEMAG Cooperative Beninoise des Machines Agricoles COBENAM Compagnie Beninoise de Navigation Maritime CRP Comite Regional de la Planification DPE Direction de la Planification d'Etat EC European Communities ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States FAC Fonds d'Aide et de Cooperation (France) FAS Fonds Autonome de Stabilisation et de Soutien des Prix des Produits Agricoles FED Fonds Europeen de Developpement FNI Fonds National d'Investissement GRVC Groupement Revolutionnaire a Vocation Cooperative IBETEX Industrie Beninoise des Textiles (formerly Industrie Dahomeene de Textile-IDATEX) IRAT Institut de Recherches Agronomiques Tropicales de Cultures Vivrieres IRCC Institut de Recherche du Coton et des Cultures Vivrieres IRHO Institut de Recherches des Huiles et Produits Oleagineux MDRAC Ministere du Developpement Rural et de l'Action Cooperative MPSCAE Ministere du Plan, de la Statistique et de la Coordination des Aides Exterieures OAE Office d'Approvisionnement de l'Etat OBE4AP Office Beninois des Manutentions Portuaires OCBN Organisation Commune Benin-Niger des chemins de fer et des transports (formerly Organisation Commune Dahomey-Niger des chemins de fer et des transports-OCDN) ONATHO Office National de Tourisme et de l'Hotellerie RAC Regie d'Approvisionnement et de Commercialisation  ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS (Continued) SBEE Societe Beninoise d'Eau et d'Electricite SMAG Salaire minimum agricole garanti SMIG Salaire minimum interprofessionnel garanti SNAFOR Societe Nationale pour le Developpement Forestier SOBEPALH Societe Beninoise de Palmier a Huile (formerly Societe Nationale pour le Developpement Rural-SONADER) SOBEMAC Societe Beninoise des Materiaux de Construction SOBETEX Societe Beninoise des Textiles (formerly Industrie Cotonniere du Dahomey-ICODA) SODERA Societe de Developpement des Ressources Animales (formerly Societe Nationale pour la Production Animale-SONAPA) SONACEB Societe Nationale de Commercialisation et d'Exportation du Benin (formerly Societe de Commercialisation et de Credit Agricole du Dahomey-SOCAD) SONACIB Societe Nationale des Ciments du Benin SONACO Societe Nationale pour le Coton (formerly Compagnie Francaise pour le Developpement des Fibres Textiles-CFDT) SONACOP Societe Nationale de Commercialisation des Produits Petroliers SONAFEL Societe Nationale des Fruits et Legumes SONAGRI Societe Nationale pour la Production Agricole (has absorbed operations of SONACO) SONAPAL Societe Nationale de Papeterie et de Librairie SONAPECHE Societe Nationale d'Armement et de Peche (formerly Societe Nationale de Peche-SNP) SONATRAC Societe Nationale de Transit et de Consignation SONIAH Societe Nationale d'Irrigation et d'Amenagement Hydro-Agricole (formerly Societe d'Amenagement et de Developpement de la Vallee de l'Oueme-SADEVO) SONIB Societe Nationale d'Importation du Benin (formerly Societe Dahomeenne pour le Developpement Industriel et Commercial-SODAIC) SONICOG Societe Nationale pour l'Industrie des Corps Gras (formerly Societe Nationale des Huileries du Dahomey-SNAHDA) SOTRACOB Societe de Transit et de Consignation Beninoise UMOA Union Monetaire Ouest Africaine UNDP United Nations Development Programme USAID United States Agency for International Development   IBRD 3627 T'I 2' "\ | ]-G E R N MAY 1978 NMEKI- -12'4 \ MALANVIL12 E R ,' 2 / _ A g A ~~/ S t NO \ TACUI 91 Go. Cb.<ooov - ))foono 0~~~~~ A9NGUIE IA 0 ^ NATITINGOU. : d/ B- / E ours | RO j 0 1 \78>rn _} g \<>essou-Sud ~~~~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~N :LI 10' lo ooLom' DJOG GOU K>/ IO)oo,,go) / / w K ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~5,K X / s j ty XPa;~~~~4~.ou ! -9' ?' ~~~~~~I Rosselo y > X T 0 --.--- b } - K, SAVALOU C S A E a.- PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BENIN TRANSPORTATION AND Pooo' sgooo -v ADMINISTRATION | <\ Z~~~~ Kel:u Proosno ol Booodooles SA F R I C Af