Beninese Foreign Minister Shegun Adjadi Bakari is currently on an official visit to China from March 28 to April 1, at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
This visit injects new momentum into the relationship between the two countries, which has been established for over half a century. The bilateral relationship between China and Benin is among the productive and evolving ties that China maintains with many African nations.
Benin has significantly benefited from China's flagship investment projects, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). These collaborations have yielded concrete results in boosting Benin's economic growth and strengthening partnerships.
China has been instrumental in modernizing Benin's agricultural sector, aiding the country in achieving food security through capacity building and donations of agricultural machinery and equipment. Additionally, Chinese private foreign investment in Benin has seen substantial growth.
From 2000 to 2020, China invested $536 million in Benin, funding the construction of roads, communications, and water infrastructure. Cooperation in education, healthcare, and vocational training for locals marks another significant milestone in their partnership. Benin also benefits from a Chinese initiative that grants some of its products duty-free access to the Chinese market, with major exports including raw cotton, soyabean, and vegetable residues.
Over the past decades, the partnership with China has enabled Benin to harness its rich resources for development and improve the lives of its people. With a population of around 14 million and vast natural resources, Benin possesses substantial growth potential.
However, many resources, particularly in the agricultural and industrial sectors, remain untapped and require intervention. A cooperative relationship with China, which has a proven track record of assisting African nations in their development efforts, is of great importance as economies of scale indicate.
In this context, the visit of Beninese Foreign Minister Adjadi Bakari plays a crucial role in further strengthening the evolving relationship and helping Benin accelerate its development through cooperation with China. It also provides an opportunity to explore ways to expedite the implementation of existing agreements and to identify future avenues for bilateral engagement.
Reference(s):
Beninese FM's China visit gives new impetus to bilateral cooperation
cgtn.com
