CHAPTER FOUR: ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT __________________________________________________________________________  The adaptation of the growth poles strategy – or better still, the development strategy (which is not well defined in its content and spatial organisation) – to the strategies of project and programme clusters in the reconfiguration of the economic and demographic geography. This requires more effort in its definition and in the policies and programmes for its implementation. 413. This is all the more true since sound, predictable and transparent policies are also interpreted in terms of their relevance to the focus, challenges and development objectives of the nation as it moves towards the envisaged ‘emerging Benin’ of 2025. 414. At this level, it is not certain whether the translation of the vision and its six strategic development orientations (which are well defined) into sectoral policies and programmes will be effective in moving the nation in the intended direction. The lack of quantified data on the required human and financial resources warns of the gaps between the bold views expressed by leaders and their translation into judiciously calculated actions, especially given the sluggish and dysfunctional networks in Beninese society. 415. The informal sector and the transitional economy are extremely important factors in Benin. Thus, if the economy of the Benin of tomorrow is left open to the forces of globalisation, the configuration of a WAEMU controlled by external economic forces, and the Nigerian economy, there would be a risky process of ‘satellising’ and ‘informalising’ it in the long term. That is why it is imperative to have a clear vision that the people of Benin will see as their way forward, and thereafter translate it into appropriate and voluntarist policies and programmes so as to realise the dream of an ‘emerging Benin’ by 2025. 416. Other points that require attention are the need to adapt the major challenges of economic governance and management to the macro and sectoral economic policies, and the methods of allocating resources to these policies effectively. In this regard, the Finance Law should reflect the implementation of the annual component of the development plan, which is an expression of the vision and strategic development orientations. Although efforts have been made in this direction since 2006, the CRM believes that Benin is still far off its targets in this area. 417. Since the ‘emerging Benin’ intends to be “a country that attracts investments, accelerates its economic growth and redistributes the benefits equitably, a country which successfully integrates into the world economy thanks to its export capacities”, it is obvious that the economic policies, particularly in terms of fiscal policies, will play a significant role in efforts to improve the business environment. This issue is being discussed, but no appropriate policy seems to have been found. 418. In order to have more predictable and transparent policies, the audit function of economic governance and the management of public resources should be effective and strong. However, it seems that this function is very weak in Benin. This observation is valid for the internal and external audit organs, the 152