Cotonou, Benin - Projecting into the future, the Beninese government says it expects a growth rate of 8% in 2013, president Boni Yayi indicated in his end-of-the-year address to the nation.

According to the address, obtained here by PANA, the growth rate will help reduce by half the current poverty rate of 35% in the country as against an average poverty rate of 50% on the African continent.

To achieve that, he said, the government had put in place a programme aimed at boosting the economy whose anticipated results are promising with an expected enhancement economic growth which, for the year 2012, is expected to rise to 4.1%, as against the 3.8% in 2011, 2.6% in 2010 and 2.7% in 2009.

Benin has complied with some of the criteria stipulated by the West-African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) in 2011. They range from a falling inflation rate estimated at 2.8 % and an indebtedness rate which stood at 28 % of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

However, Benin is still grappling with a huge wage bill/tax revenues ratio of 47.6 % for a community standard of 35 % and the investment/equity ressources ratio of 17 % for a standard set at 20 %.

Pana 30/12/2011