Benin to reduce embassies, consulates in cost cutting measures

Benin's Foreign Affairs Minister Aurelien Agbenonci said Tuesday that the government will soon reduce the country's embassies and consulates to reduce the cost of running them and improve the quality of service they provide.

While addressing diplomats accredited to Benin, the minister said Benin's embassies and consulates were increased in recent years without carrying out a proper assessment of whether this helped the country to achieve its foreign policy objectives.

"Many of the embassies and consulates have instead created more conflicts with host nations and ended up being more costly due to employment of many people," Agbenonci said.

The minister said to reduce the costs and achieve efficiency, the government will take the following measures: closure of some diplomatic and consular missions, reduction of the number of representatives as well as reduction of the number of staff to the necessary minimum.

He, however, said the government's move should not be perceived as downgrading of relations between Benin and its partner states.

"The move has been necessitated by the prevailing national context," he explained, adding that the foreign policy adopted by Benin's current President Patrice Talon, aims to place the country on the international map and mobilize financial resources to fund development.

"To achieve our objectives, we needed to change the manner of conducting our foreign policy," he said.

Agbenonci noted that the government will seek to promote cultural and economic diplomacy, reinforce international cooperation, promote regional integration and restore the country's credibility in the eyes of its partners. Endit