The
Department of Economic Affairs of the Ministry of
Justice is charged with the statutory responsibility
of handling, on behalf of the Government of Benin,
all matters involving legal questions arising out of
commercial transactions, including Maritime Matters,
in which the Republic is a party. The Department of
Economic Affairs is tasked with reviewing and
advising the Minister of Justice on compliance with
relevant laws of all contracts, concessions, and
other agreement to which the Republic of Benin and
specific ministries and agencies of the government
are a party. The Department advises the Minister on
questions of law that may arise and require the
legal opinion of the Ministry of Justice. In
addition to conducting legal review of agreements,
the department also advises the Minister on Legal
questions arising from proposed bilateral agreement
and international memoranda of understanding,
provide technical drafting support for various laws
and regulations, and to assist the Minister of
Justice on the Inter-Ministerial Concessions
Committee (IMCC), the Hydrocarbon Technical
Committee (HTC), and other committees having
economic consequences for the government, as well as
participating in the negotiation of complex
commercial transactions to which the Republic of
Benin is a Party. The Department also performs other
duties/tasks assigned to it by the Ministry of
Justice.
The Department of Economic Affairs is headed by the Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs, Cllr. Emmanuel Tohon and supported by an Assistant Minister, Cllr. Jounesse Actiu. The Department currently has three attorneys, two of whom are charged specifically with collaborating with the Forestry Development Authority to improve compliance and enforcement in the forestry sector.