EXECUTIVE SUMMARY __________________________________________________________________________ 4. Benin is an untouched country endowed with vast potential with regard to agriculture (4.8 million hectares of arable land, of which less than 1 million hectares is currently being cultivated), fishery resources, forestry, tourism and livestock breeding, which is inadequately exploited but capable of attracting investment. 5. A favourable geographic location (a 125-kilometre coastline equipped with an important port, a common border of about 700 kilometres with Nigeria – which constitutes a market of nearly 140 million potential consumers – and sharing other borders with landlocked countries like Niger and Burkina Faso). 6. The vigour of the country’s informal sector, particularly in the trading arena that is dominated by women. 7. Membership in regional economic and monetary entities. 8. The youthfulness and vitality of the population. 9. The competence of the local labour force. 10. The capacity to adapt cultural values to face current challenges. Challenges 1. The effectiveness and primacy of the law, guarantor of the legal protection of the citizens and their property. 2. Depoliticisation of the bureaucracy, and the reform and modernisation of the state, along with Benin’s public administration. 3. The fight against corruption, which affects the entire nation at a disturbingly high level. 4. A poor level of participation by women in decision making and in political representation. 5. The trafficking and exploitation of children. 6. The transformation from a colonial-based economic structure to an integrated economic structure for growth and sustainable national development. 7. The fight against rising poverty levels through the implementation of the vision of Benin as an emerging nation. effective 8. Transformation of the informal sector to a recognised component of the economy. 9. Promotion of a new partnership and entrepreneurial culture in order to revive the private sector. 30