Bénin launches first national action plan for open governance
Eighteen months after joining the Open Government Partnership (OGP), Bénin hosted a five-day national workshop in Cotonou from July 27 to 31, 2026. The event brought together public officials, civil society representatives, private sector actors, technical and financial partners, and media professionals to lay the groundwork for the country’s first National Action Plan for Open Government.
Preparing the roadmap for transparent governance
The workshop focused on familiarizing participants with OGP principles and co-creating future commitments. Victorin Honvoh, cabinet director at the Ministry of Budget and Public Service, emphasized that Bénin’s OGP membership reinforces ongoing reforms centered on transparency, accountability, access to information, anti-corruption efforts, and citizen participation.
He stressed that success hinges on sustained dialogue between government agencies and non-state actors, urging participants to develop concrete proposals aligned with open governance principles.
Citizen consultations to shape national priorities
Mireille Hortense Codjovi, Director of the Open Budget Pillar and National OGP Focal Point, described the workshop as a precursor to nationwide consultations across Bénin’s twelve departments. These consultations aim to gather public priorities, which will be analyzed, prioritized, and integrated into the first draft of the National Action Plan.
The process is supported by key partners including the PAGOF2 program led by Expertise France, GIZ, Swiss Cooperation, UNICEF, and the European Union.
Translating existing gains into measurable commitments
Jean-Pierre Degue, Vice President of the OGP Technical Committee, highlighted that Bénin already boasts achievements in budget transparency and citizen engagement. The challenge now is to formalize these gains into quantifiable commitments under the OGP framework.
Gustavo Pérez Ara, an international expert, outlined the OGP’s three core pillars—citizen participation, transparency, and accountability—underscoring the value of existing government-civil society dialogue as a foundation for future progress.
Under the guidance of Chabi Kassim Taba, advisor to the Audit Court, participants deliberated on integrating open governance principles into public institutions’ operational practices. Recommendations from the workshop, combined with insights from departmental consultations, will shape Bénin’s inaugural National Action Plan for Open Government.
