Benin

African nations such as Benin can be interesting research paper topics. Their geography is unique and often can interplay with many other aspects of African politics, sociology and culture. Paper Masters custom writes research papers on Benin and other African nations.

Benin is an underdeveloped West African country that borders the North Atlantic Ocean between Nigeria and Togo. It has a relatively weak economy that relies primarily on an economic base of regional trade, cotton production and agriculture. Benin's currency, the CFA franc is linked to the French franc. Its devaluation in 1994 has had negative ramifications, causing a lengthy period of inflation and contributing to the country's inability to repay its international loan debts.

Benin - West African Economics

Benin has membership in several regional markets, the majority of which are focused on advancing the economic development of West African nations and include:

• The West African Development Bank(WADB)
• The Economic Community of West African States(ECWAS)

Benin's regional memberships also include those organizations that may extend membership to nations outside of the region, but have a primary purpose of assisting West African nations. They include but are not confined to:

• The Franc Zone(FZ), which promotes cooperation between French-speaking countries in the region and France
• The African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States(ACP), which assists countries in an extended region with economic interactions with members of the European Union.

Benin also has membership in several international organizations. Many of these organizations, such as the IMF and the World Bank, play a primary role in assisting less developed nations in handling financial debt and economic development. In July 2000, for example, both the World Bank and the IMF qualified Benin for $460 million in debt assistance under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.

Benin's Organizations

A number of the organizations that Benin has membership in focus on promoting cooperation between member nations in the pursuit of international accord in relation to:

• Technology
• Commerce
• Political interaction

The World Trade Organization, for example, promotes unified and cooperative trade practices among its member nations. In a similar manner, the World Tourism Organization works to raise the living standards of its member nations by developing or advancing an economic base of tourism in those countries.

One of the oldest organizations that Benin has membership in, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), unifies its members in the pursuit of international relief and humanitarian efforts, particularly in response to conflicts of war. In addition, Benin has membership in the United Nations and a number of its specialized agencies and affiliates.