Role of Municipalities in the Provision of Water and Sanitation Services in Benin

A 2015 assessment revealed progress in Benin’s decentralization process, including the existence of laws covering the organization of local elections, effective service delivery to citizens through town halls, training activities for elected officials and commune staff by the Centre de Formation pour l’Administration Locale (CeFAL), and the civil service. In addition, the Government of Benin and international donor partners increased the Fonds d’Appui au Développement des Communes (FADeC), which reflects the importance of this instrument for financing development at the commune level. The assessment also identified constraints, including poor governance, weak managerial capacity of municipal officials, low civilian participation, illiteracy, lack of understanding of the challenges and issues of decentralization, insufficient financial resources and financial transfers from the central government, absence of grassroots advocacy and lobbying, and the lack of economic prospects in municipal actions. To address these constraints, the Beninese government is working to promote local civic awareness, financial governance, and the continuation and refinement of the implementation of the National Decentralization Policy, FADeC, and the Municipal Development Plan. This case study is produced by USAID’s West Africa Municipal Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (MuniWASH) Activity.

This case study is also available in French.