Benin
Benin - 1.1 Humanitarian Background
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Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

Natural Disasters

Type

Yes / No

Comments / Details

Drought

Yes

Benin is characterized by unusually dry conditions. This is due primarily to two important factors. Firstly, the situation of the coast which is rather well protected from western winds; secondly, the Atakora Barrier in the West and Northwest, which decreases the amount of rainfall

Earthquakes

No

From the past 50 years ago. There was not any significant Earthquake in Benin.

Epidemics

Yes

The following diseases are of concern in Benin: meningitis, Cholera, Lassa fever, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, AIDS, yellow fever and malaria. Further info here.

The first case of dengue fever was observed in May 2019 in the Atlantic department of Benin. Between April 26 and July 29, 2019, the epidemic spread to the Littoral and Ouémé departments. Link.

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread around the world. Benin recorded the first case of Covid-19 in March 2020 and the number of confirmed positive cases increased to 2683 confirmed cases and the country deplores 41 deaths related to COVID-19 as of October 29, 2020.

Extreme Temperatures

Yes

In Benin, winter, from November to January, is hot: in the north it's often torrid, and highs can exceed 35 °C (95 °F), while along the coast it's less hot, with highs around 31/32 °C (88/90 °F), but more humid, and with a bit of cloudiness in the morning.
In the Centre and north, a wind from the desert blows in winter, called Harmattan, which can fill the sky with dust and make it white, creating a peculiar mist in the early hours of the day. Moreover, nights are cool in the north, and sometimes even cold, so that the lowest records are about 5 °C (41 °F).

Climate to travel in Benin

Flooding

Yes

Cotonou, as in all large coastal cities, is exposed to rising water levels. Experts and institutions responsible for the issue of global warming monitor and alert on the issue. The economic capital of Benin is indeed threatened, because water is eating away at the land. Furthermore, the water level of the Niger and Ouémé rivers has risen. This poses a risk of flooding in several municipalities in Benin in the period from August 17 to 20, 2023.

According to the flood alert bulletin from the Interinstitutional Forecast and Alert Unit (CIPA), the Ouémé River reached a level of 924 cm in Zagnanado and 675 cm in Bonou. The populations of the municipalities under threat are Zagnanado, Bonou, Adjohoun, Malanville and Karimama. Link

Insect Infestation

Yes

Link

Mudslides

Yes

Due to heavy rains during the rainfall seasons, some lands and soils are abusively deteriorated in the north and plateau zones.

Volcanic Eruptions

No

There are no known active volcanoes in Benin.

High Waves / Surges

 

Benin has about 120 coastlands opening to Atlantic Sea (located in Guinea Golf). The country is very exposed to any eventual tsunami or floods which can be caused by high waves in case of major earthquake happened in the ocean

Wildfires

Yes

Despite of some strong measurements adopted by the Benin government to sensitize the local population; the country remained exposed to wildfires during the dry seasons. Wildfires are usually caused by traditional hunters who continue to hunt wild animals in the large forest reserves.

High Winds

Yes

The harmattan, a hot and dry wind coming from the Sahara, blows across the entire territory during the dry season. Regular updates here

Other Comments

No

Man-Made Issues

Civil Strife

Yes

Despite its profile as a stable country in the sub region, Benin knows enough strikes due to the presence of the many layers of civil societies who claim to oppose to some political and economic reforms initiated by the various passed governments and actual government that been known the country. That's situation is exposing Benin to an unpredictable civil strike.

International Conflict

Yes

Considered a country spared from the jihadist threat since the start of the armed conflict in the Sahel zone, Benin suddenly became, in February 2022, the victim of three terrorist attacks in the W national park. This park is shared between Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso. Nowadays there are terrorist threats, banditry, and the risk of kidnapping in the area located less than 50 km from the borders with Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria in the departments of Atacora, Alibori and Borgou.

Internally Displaced Persons

No

N/A

Refugees Present

No

N/A

Landmines / UXO Present

No

N/A

Other Comments

Food insecurity during the lean season. the water contamination due to the households remained without potable water, malnutrition in the regions.

 

For more detailed database on disasters by country, please see this link

 

Calamities and Seasonal Effects

Seasonal Effects on Transport

Type

From (month)

to (month)

Comments

Primary Road Transport

The primary roads are in majority in good conditions as they are asphalted and paved by locations. Rare construction projects exist by this around in the country. Some recent constructions are noted ended around 2015 to deserve borders to Nigeria (asphalted road-Segbana wara, Mallanville-Iloua and Ndali-Nikki-Chicandou).  However, there was a parfait rehabilitation road project done between Perere and Biro. But, in some parts of the north of the country can be affected during the rainy season especially between Ndali - Djugu and Natintingou.

May - October

Secondary Road Transport

The secondary roads are generally poor roads which can be deteriorated very quickly in the rainy season making them impracticable for heavy and some categories of the lighter vehicles.

May - mi-November

Rail Transport

The rail transport is very poor exclusively the old train is still functioning between Parakou and Cotonou. Transporting some goods.

In all seasons

Air Transport

The heavy rain and storms in the rainy season might cause some delays of flights in Cotonou international airport. The small aerodromes in Parakou, Kandi are in very poor condition. Not national or international flight are being noted.

May - November

Waterway Transport

The port of Cotonou suffers from congestion sometimes due to heavy flows of maritime traffics and especially during the rainy season.  

May - November

 

The season of cotton harvest in the north of the country, has a big impact on the trucks availability. In Benin, transporters have become accustomed to cash payments (Cash and Carry). Most of the transporters doesn’t have legal documents or cannot declare the exact number of his trucks. As a result, truck owners prefer to divide themselves into small groups of truck owners with the only objective to simply continue their business without attracting the attention of tax departments to pay huge amounts of road transport taxes. The farmers and merchants are using the cheapest trucks owned by individuals or some small companies. They use the type of trucks suitable for their transport are mainly from 25 to 35 mt or even less due to the bad roads from different locations (especially in the north-west and centre). Most of the secondary and tertiary roads are in bad condition as well as it is difficult for heavy trucks (more than 20 mt) to use them during the rainy season.

 

             Seasonal Effects on Storage and Handling (economic, social, climate…)

Activity

Comments

From <month> to <month>

Storage

It is very difficult to find big storage capacity in Benin. There is no high limited storage structure in all over the country. Only the cotton factories have big storages.

January to December

Handling

Due to the high rate of unemployment, daily workers are available around the year.

 

Other

Due to the limited capacity in storage and the difficult transportation during the rainy season, it is highly recommended to pre-position humanitarian assistance (Food, NFI and other) closer to the beneficiaries before the rainy season.  

 

 

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

The Government asked the Coordination of the UN agencies to work together with the ministries and the UN system through a programme which brings all agencies and institutions of the United Nations System together to work towards the realization of Benin's development strategy. It is based on one of the integrated policies and services, and the real-time monitoring of the joint action plan. A leader and leadership of the Country Teams is based on mutual accountabilities of each agency, with a strengthened coordination function led by the Resident Coordinator, with the involvement of all members of the Country Team to reach the expected results of the UN in Benin. The single budget framework provides a holistic and transparent view of the entire UN contribution in the country as it relates the planning and costs of all Single Program activities. A Common Operation allows for the implementation of common operations and more efficient common services. A Common Communication facilitates coherence in messaging and advocacy on standards and operationalization. It allows a harmonized strategic dialogue of the Country Team vis-à-vis national and international partners.

More information are available via thus link.

Humanitarian/Development Community. 

 

Agency

Address

Contact numbers

Type of operations

UNICEF

01 BP 2289 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 02 66/ (229) 21 30 09 42

Child protection

UNFPA

01BP.506 Zone Résidentielle - Lot 115 - Cotonou

Tel: (+229) 21 31 53 66/ 21 31 44 13

Gender equality, improvement of health

UNDP

01BP.506 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 31 30 45 / 46 / 79

Reduction of poverty, fight against HIV/AIDS,  Development

OIT

01 BP 4853 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel/Fax: (+ 229) 21 31 01 76

Workers’ Rights, Workers’ Health

UNDSS

01BP.506 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 31 30 45 / 46 / 79

Safety and security of UN operations in the country

FAO

01BP 1369 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 31 42 45 - 21 31 44 29

Food Security

OMS

01 B.P. 918 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21-30-19-07/21-30-17-53

Health

IOM

08 BP 1066 Cotonou – BENIN

 

 

Tel: (+229) 21 30 28 98/99

Refugees, Immigration protection

WORLD BANK

03B.P.2112 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 58 57 - 21 30 58 97 - 21 30 58 49 - 21 30 17 77

Financial and technical support to the poor countries

IMF

08 BP 989 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 14 31

Fight against poverty, Loan to the country in financial difficulties

Banque africaine de développement (BAD)

Immeuble DIBOUSSE 3ème Etage, Aile Gauche Boulevard de la Marina. Cotonou – BENIN

Tel : (+229) 90 30 40 42

Financial and technical support to the poor countries

Banque ouest-africaine de développement (BOAD)

01 BP 268 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 31 59 35

Financial and technical support to the poor countries

UNESCO

01 BP 506 Cotonou - BENIN

 (+229) 95 05 39 69 - 97 27 74 41

(+229)20 21 30 12- 21 31 30 45

(+229)21 31 30 46 - 21.31.30.79

 

Culture, communication, Information, education and sciences

ONUSIDA

01BP.506 COTONOU -BENIN

 

Tel/Fax: (+229). 21.30.43.74

 

fight against HIV/AIDS

ONUHABITAT

01BP.506 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 31 30 45 / 46 / 79

Environment healthy,

City Development

WFP

BP. 506, Cotonou, BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 09 73 & 21 31 55 03

Food security

UPU

06 BP 2114 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 33 43 08

 

Universal Access to communication

Catholic Relief Service USCC

01 BP 518 Cotonou -BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 85 38

Relief and development

SNV (Organisation Néerlandaise de Développement)

01 BP 1048 Cotonou -BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 31 35 59

Community development

OXFAM Québec

04 BP 171 Cotonou -BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 30 04 50

Advocacy and development

UNOPS

01 BP 506 Cotonou -BENIN

Tel: (+229) 91473838

Projects and services

USAID

01 BP 2012 Cotonou -BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 30 05 13/ 21 30 17 92

US Gov Aid and development agency

USADF

08 B.P. 546 Cotonou -BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 31 60 67

Aid and development agency

Plan International

08 BP 699 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 39 51/ 21 30 64 97

Community development

PSI (Population Services International)

08 BP 0876 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) +229 96 95 13 83

Sexual and reproductive health

Enabel (Belgian Development Agency)

02 BP 8118 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 59 37

Belgian Development Agency

GIZ

08 BP 1132 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 31 03 95

German Development Agency

CARITAS Benin

04 BP 1213 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 14 14 52/

Relief and development

AFD (Agence Française de Développement)

01 BP 38 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 31 35 80 /21 31 35 81

French Development Agency

UNCDF

01 BP 506 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : +(229) 21 31 30 45

Development and industries

UNHCR

08 BP 1066 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel :  (+229) 21 30 28 98/ 21 30 28 99

Refugee

Care International

60 BP 1153 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 30 44 00

Relief and development

Handicap International

C/130, rue 6.060 Aïdjèdo, Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 32 06 67

Relief and development

Médecin sans frontières (MSF)

01 BP 3943 Cotonou - BENIN. Lot B5 c/316, Rue 374, Cotonou

N/A

Medical and humanitarian aid

Médecins du Monde Suisse (MdM)

04 BP 1087 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 30 50 78

Medical and humanitarian aid

AFRICARE

04 BP 806 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 30 20 12

Community Development

Aide et Action

08 BP 0591 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 30 65 11

Community Development

American Peace Corps

01 BP 971 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 31 47 81

International solidarity and Community Development

Croix Rouge Allemande

01 BP 504 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 32 08 95

Relief

NEPAD

08 BP 803 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel : (+229) 21 31 70 79

Development

SOS Village d'enfant

01 BP 82 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 03 92 67

Child protection

Terre des Hommes

04 BP 924 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 30 72 92

Community Development

World Peace

01 BP 1852 Cotonou - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 21 61 32 63

Nutrition and child protection

Croix Rouge Beninoise

BP 01 Porto-Novo - BENIN

Tel: (+229) 95 74 78 82

Relief

 

 

 

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