VZCZCXRO0299
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0188 0920950
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 010950Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0251
INFO RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 1427
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1247
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC

UNCLAS COTONOU 000188 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR/AFRICA, AF/EPS, AF/W: BANKS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EIND EINV BN
SUBJECT: BENIN - IMF FOURTH REVIEW, 4TH QUARTER 2007 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: An IMF team visited Benin, March 3-18, 2008 for the to 
review the country's economic performance in the last quarter of 
¶2007. The team shared its generally favorable conclusions with 
international donors on March 18. However, the IMF team urged the 
GOB to continue to improve economic performance and implement 
structural reforms to render the economy more competitive. END OF 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. According to the team growth trends remained positive.  Real GDP 
is 4.6% and projected to reach 5.3% in 2008. However, the economy 
would perform better if the implementation of structural reforms did 
not delay and there was not a decrease in cotton production either. 
 
¶3. The team noted that the tertiary sector is doing very well. 
Traffic at the port has increased and positively impacted the 
transportation sector. Year 2007 imports of fuel totaled 170 billion 
CFA (USD 400 million) compared to 131 billion CFA (USD 300 million) 
in 2006.  In 2007, the telecommunications sector, including GSM, 
generated about 61 billion CFA (USD 145 million) in revenues. 
 
¶4. The inflation rate is 1.3 percent, well below the WAEMU rate of 3 
percent. Nonetheless, the country witnessed a strong increase in 
prices, even beyond 3 percent on high consumption goods. The team 
expects that the surge in prices will slow down and stabilize in the 
near future. 
 
¶5. The team praised GOB budget implementation. Fiscal pressure has 
increased by 20 percent, and the revenue collection trend improved. 
Regarding expenditures, Benin is within the limits of its budget 
provisions. The implementation rate of the investment budget has 
increased by 67 percent against 56 percent in 2006, but remains 
weaker than anticipated under the program. The GOB is struggling to 
spend international donor funds. However, the country's money supply 
has increased by 18 percent.  The balance of payments is positive, 
external credit has been increased to CFA 84 billion (USD 200 
million.) 
 
¶6. The IMF team expressed its concerns about the challenges with 
respect to structural reforms. The cotton, electricity and telecoms 
parastatals are yet to be privatized. However, the GOB has 
reaffirmed its intention to implement these reforms as of December 
2008 or the first quarter of 2009 after assessing the state owned 
companies' assets. The IMF encourages the GOB to speed up the single 
tax identification process, the national pension funds, and the 
study on Benin customs efficiency. 
 
BROWN