Benin’s Council of Ministers has approved the creation of a dedicated body to manage the coastal corridor stretching from Fidjrossè to Ouidah. The move aims to balance tourism expansion along the Route des Pêches with curbs on chaotic settlement of wetlands that has worsened flooding in the area.

A coastline under rising pressure

The stretch linking Fidjrossè to Ouidah has become a focal point of Benin’s broader transformation efforts. Once dominated by natural spaces, wetlands, and local livelihoods, this corridor now draws heavy investment designed to boost its appeal.

Roads, drainage systems, landscaping, and tourism facilities have steadily reshaped the face of this coastal zone.

Yet modernization has brought side effects. Growing land pressure and human activity threaten natural areas, particularly marshes and wetlands that play a vital role in water regulation.

The government now seeks to manage this tension between development and conservation more effectively.

Wetlands emerge as a priority

According to findings presented at the Council of Ministers, parts of the public natural domain are being occupied haphazardly. Marshes and other wetlands are especially affected.

These areas are not mere vacant land for urbanization. They help retain water and reduce the impact of heavy rains.

Their artificialization or gradual occupation diminishes this natural capacity, which Benin’s authorities see as a factor worsening flooding.

Creating a body dedicated to this territory aims to prevent tourism and real estate ambitions from causing irreversible damage to the natural environment.

New authority to coordinate multiple uses

The future Authority for the Development of the Basins from Fidjrossè to Ouidah will have a broad mandate.

It will coordinate land-use planning, environmental protection, urban and landscape development, as well as tourism growth and sustainable coastal management.

Its intervention zone will cover sensitive and wetland areas between Fidjrossè and Ouidah.

This creation builds on Benin’s 2018 law on the protection, development, and enhancement of the coastal zone, which established the National Cell for Coastal Protection and Management to coordinate preservation efforts.

Erosion and submersion add to the threats

The issue extends beyond rain-induced flooding.

The coast also faces coastal erosion and marine submersion. The new Authority will help implement structures and measures to mitigate these risks, working with relevant agencies.

It will also monitor environmental quality and regulate discharges, pollution, and nuisances that could affect the coastal domain.

Special attention will go to the dune belt, coastal ecosystems, and wetlands, whose preservation is now seen as essential for the sustainability of ongoing developments.

Tighter control over construction

Urbanization is another key focus.

The new body will enforce urban planning rules and specifications for various projects. It will also oversee land occupations and ensure compliance with architectural and urban standards specific to the coast.

Its role will be crucial for temporary occupation permits of the public maritime and lagoon domain. Its binding opinion will be required before issuance.

This should strengthen oversight of activities and installations in an area where multiplying uses can quickly clash with environmental imperatives.

Tourism remains central to the strategy

Creating this Authority does not mean questioning tourism development. Rather, the government says, it is about organizing it better.

The body will review projects for tourism, beach, cultural, and recreational infrastructure. It will also coordinate commercial, artisanal, sports, and tourism activities along the coastal strip.

The goal is to make multiple functions coexist in the same space: tourism, leisure, economic activities, urbanization, and environmental protection.

This balance will be decisive for the future of the Route des Pêches, one of Benin’s flagship tourism development projects.

Private sector invited to participate

To finance and operate future facilities, the government is also counting on public-private partnerships.

The new Authority will promote such collaborations to mobilize investments around planned infrastructure and equipment.

This approach comes as Benin seeks to boost its tourism appeal and turn its coastline into a driver of economic growth.

But success will also depend on authorities’ ability to prevent investments and urbanization from weakening the natural spaces they aim to enhance.

A new phase in Benin’s coastal management

The statutes of the new Authority have already been approved by the Council of Ministers. The minister in charge of Living Environment and Sustainable Development must now, with other relevant ministries, organize its effective establishment.

For Benin, the challenge goes beyond creating a new administration. It is about regaining control of a territory under growing pressure, even as it stands as a showcase for the country’s tourism development.

Between wetland protection, erosion control, urbanization oversight, and tourism growth, the Fidjrossè-Ouidah corridor now appears as a real-world laboratory for the difficult equation between urban growth and coastal preservation.

By Yacouba Ouédraogo — Journalist