Washington — The World Bank has approved $33 million in additional financing from the International Development Association (IDA) for the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project (COSO) to help Benin anticipate and prevent the spread of conflicts in the country's north, reduce vulnerability to climate change, and strengthen local institutions and economic opportunities.

This additional COSO financing will help Benin manage the refugee influx by expanding socio-economic infrastructure and income-generating activities to strengthen the resilience of refugees and host communities. Aligned with the Government of Benin's goal to address fragility in the north stemming from the refugee influx, the project will also enhance resilience and asocial cohesion. With this support, COSO's reach will grow from 400,500 to 524,500 beneficiaries, focusing on refugees and host community members.

"The spillover of violent extremism in the Sahel, combined with internal drivers of fragility, make Benin and its northern region particularly vulnerable. This additional financing consolidates the achievements of the COSO project, which provides concrete solutions to the challenges of social cohesion in northern Benin," said Nestor Coffi, World Bank Country Manager for Benin. "The government's establishment of a program to support refugees living alongside host communities in rural areas is key to ensuring social cohesion and socio-economic integration in this part of the country."

This financing supports the Government of Benin's Resilience and Prevention Program (PREP 2024-2029), which aims to strengthen the State's capacity to support the resilience of local communities facing fragility and conflict. The PREP focuses on scaling up investments and services through three interdependent pillars: (i) strengthening social cohesion and basic services; (ii) food security and livelihoods; and (iii) land reform.