Benin BPA: Developing Strategy Across Key Governance Areas in Benin

Key Results

Resonance has implemented four Call Orders under the Benin BPA:

Call Order 1: Risk Management and Audit/CNLS-TP Support
(September 2018 – February 2019)

Resonance provided technical assistance to the Government of Benin to:

• Operationalize a new risk management system in Benin, designed to support the Government of Benin to reorganize and restructure its operations and programming. Resonance fielded an administrative/operational expert who worked across several Government of Benin units to evaluate operational standards and make recommendations to improve government capacity and efficiency within day-to-day operations.
• Host a national workshop on targeted issues promoted by the Presidential Commission on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Hepatitis, STIs and Epidemics (CNLS-TP). Resonance worked with various health foundations and local organizations to design and implement a national workshop on an evaluation of the Government of Benin’s 2017 mosquito net mass distribution campaign, as part of the national strategy to combat malaria.

Call Order 2: Workshops for Budget Controllers
(September 2019 – March 2020)

Resonance hosted two dynamic, two-week workshops in Benin’s capital city, Cotonou, for budget controllers and auditors, to promote awareness and adherence to Benin’s new financial legal framework and to help the Ministry move toward results-based management.

• Resonance supported Benin’s Ministry of Economy and Finance by hosting two workshops in November and December 2019 to convey new budgetary practices to local financial controllers. The workshops, which drew from case studies and a “learn by doing” design, resulted in 59 Beninese budget controllers and auditors gaining an improved understanding of budgetary principles and new budget control practices.
• With Benin’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, Resonance produced a comprehensive Guide to the Law on Public Finance No. 2013-14 (LOLF) to share with workshop participants. The Guide highlighted the LOLF’s strengthening of parliamentary decision-making power to effectively implement and manage public finances in Benin.
• Based on participant survey results, 62% of participants considered their knowledge of budget control preparation and tools to be “fairly good” after the conclusion of the workshop, compared to a 16.5% benchmark rate from pre-workshop calculations.

Call Order 3: Political and Economic Advisor (PEA) Consultancy Services
(December 2018—April 2020)

Resonance fielded a Political and Economic Advisor to work with USAID/Benin to identify and address key governance challenges that limit the impact of broader development investments. The Advisor examines how poor governance affects bilateral programs to expand health service delivery, strengthen health sector governance, and improve protection of vulnerable populations. The Advisor also looks at how local governance impacts regional development programs focused on agriculture, trade, and water and sanitation. The Advisor, backed by Resonance’s home office team, provides on-demand support to USAID/Benin with a focus on political economy analysis to enhance the Mission’s understanding of power dynamics and economic and social forces that affect its programming.

• Resonance has produced 20 analytical documents, on issues ranging from constitutional reforms to political parties to the impact of border closures. These analyses help to shape and inform USAID/Benin’s strategic approach and programming across a range of development challenges and sectors.

Call Order 4: Combatting Counterfeit Medicines
(August 2019 – August 2020)

Resonance is working with USAID/Benin and the Government of Benin in the national fight against counterfeit medicine trafficking.