The latest annual edition of the World Hapiness Report shows Benin's jump in the world rankings. It is  the country with the strongest growth in the happiness index between 2017 and today, since the beginning of Patrice Talon's presidential term.

Ranked 86th in the world, and in the top 10 in Africa, Benin has jumped from the bottom to the middle of the ranking in just a few years. Comparing the evolution of the happiness index between the periods 2008/2012 and 2017/2019 shows the country as the one with the largest increase in the world. Therefore, it is difficult not to see a correlation between the improvement of the relationship to their own existence of the Beninese and the mandate of Patrice Talon. Coming to power in 2016, the latter has forged a reputation as a great civilian reformer and has always understood the management of the country as a "good father". An approach whose prerequisites are good governance, the fight against corruption and the promotion of meritocracy.

Thanks to a rapid and voluntary reform package, Patrice Talon has managed to improve the living conditions of its citizens while helping to restructure the economy through agriculture or job creation in major infrastructure projects.

Better governance

Considered too authoritarian by his opponents and a pragmatic visionary by his supporters, the fact remains that the positive balance sheet of his mandate, which can be divided into three successive phases – improvement of governance, construction of infrastructure and affirmation of a realistic social policy – is a consensus.

In 2016, the country ranked 95th in terms of perception of corruption. Three years later, it had risen to 80th place, tied with Morocco (by comparison, Italy, the power of the G7, comes in 50th position, Editor's note). The concrete consequences of this classification are reflected in daily life by a lower absenteeism of civil servants, the hunt for small scams and arrangements in institutions, closer monitoring of police practices, the fight against the falsification of diplomas etc. In other words, through better governance and greater transparency of public action, which is naturally affected by the perception that Beninese have of their environment.

virtuous circle

Through trickle-down, good civil governance facilitates the deployment of major infrastructure projects that themselves promote the economy and national wealth. It is a virtuous circle. Benin's economy is relatively stable with growth around 6 or 7% since 2015, and this without oil or mineral windfall. The government has distinguished itself by several major projects such as the construction of a railway network (with China) and the renovation of the Port of Cotonou (strategic in the Gulf of Guinea). Decisive improvements for internal mobility and the attractiveness of the territory for investors.

But the most obvious improvements in daily life and the image of the country have concerned the asphalting of urban arteries and roads in secondary communes and departments. Power outages have also decreased significantly thanks to the improvement of the electricity grid and the construction of a new power plant. But also the creation of sidewalks, better waste treatment, or the construction of health centers and stadiums.

 
Beyond the World Happiness Report, these improvements have been welcomed by many parapolitical actors. This is the case of the Catholic Church of Benin, via the Catholic Christian Observatory of Governance (OCCG) which welcomed a few days ago the efforts of the government to improve the living environment of the inhabitants. The OCCG recalled in particular the merits of the old presidential project of insurance for the strengthening of human capital (ARCH), which aims to provide the country with a panel of social assistance including health insurance, training, microcredit, pension insurance for craftsmen and workers in the informal sector. Accused for several years as illusory, it has now entered its active phase.