Donor conference in Paris by Beninese minister

Cotonou, (Xinhua) - Development Minister Marcel de Souza said yesterday that the Beninese government plans to organize a donor conference in Paris - between June 17 to 19, to mobilize about 5,629 billion CFA Francs before 2018.

"The idea of organizing the roundtable with donors is based on the government's desire to lay the foundation for lasting economic prosperity, with real growth that will help to reduce poverty and increase investments by the year 2018", the minister said, adding that such investments will help to stabilize annual growth at 8 percent and reduce poverty levels by 25 percent, during the same period.

Addressing the press in Cotonou, de Souza said the forum will target Benin's technical and financial partners, the private sector as well as Beninese and African diaspora.

He said the money mobilized will fund projects in sectors such as infrastructure, transport, energy, agriculture, tourism and health.