News - 10th Regular Session of MCA-Benin’s Board of Directors: A close look at the way ahead for the Program

The Board of the Benin Program for the Millennium Challenge Account sat for its 10th Regular Session on March 4, 2010. This meeting which took place 19 months before Compact end enabled Directors to consider relevant actions for the Program to successfully cope with its closure process requirements.

  « The completion rate of assignments under MCA-Benin Program is rather satisfactory, and with good prospects in terms of resources use; however, critical challenges are yet to be met ». These were the introductory words by Mr. Samuel BATCHO, acting National Coordinator of MCA-Benin, in his opening address to the Session. He stressed that these challenges highly regard realization of certain preconditions, contracts follow-up, financial involvelments for beneficiaries of The Facility, etc.  

 As per its agenda, the Board then discussed strategies to use in order to overcome various hardships that counter the sound course of the Program. Thus, Board Members considerately reviewed Activity Plans by each Direction in the Program, and their respective budget plans as well. Thereby, they were able to debate on budget reallocation as proposed by the National Coordination during the previous Session and approved of by the Board of Directors.  As a matter of fact, it was required from the National Coordination to take the lead for a meeting that will bring together MCA-Benin, partner Ministries and civil society representatives to decide on reallocation of MCC funds, especially resources allotted to the “Access to Land” Project.

Besides, preconditions to the implementation of some MCA-Benin assignments hardly are completed. This specifically includes resettlement of the Marine Forces headquarters, removal of plotlines in the Port of Cotonou, and reorganization of the Fisheries Directorate, all required by MCC prior to the construction of Mandatory Unit for Quality Control  (Base Obligatoire de Contrôle /BOC) for fishery products in the Industrial Fishery Port of Cotonou.

The Board of Directors urged Benin to keep its commitments in the Compact for thorough implementation of this critical part in the activities under the “Access to Markets” Project. Directors closed the Session with the hope that decisions made will be applied as to meet the Program expectations.