Implementing the National Employment Policy in Times of Crisis: A Qualitative Case Study of Benin's National Employment Agency (AnpE)

Abstract: This study evaluates the effectiveness of Benin’s National Employment Agency (AnpE) in implementing the National Employment Policy, focusing on initiatives conducted in 2020. Employment challenges, particularly among youth and women, motivated the analysis of key programs such as the Independent Employment Support Program (PAEI) and Partnerships for Decentralized Employment (PaDE). Using a qualitative methodology, data were collected from AnpE’s 2020 Annual Report and interviews with stakeholders, including employers and job seekers, to assess program implementation and obstacles. Findings reveal that despite a budget mobilization rate of 77%, AnpE achieved notable progress, though constrained by funding limitations, COVID-19 disruptions, and limited access to remote areas. Program-specific results show that PAEI reached 59.1% physical execution but only 43.2% financial execution, while PaDE attained higher physical execution but faced budgetary limits. The study concludes that digital transformation, hybrid service models, strengthened public-private partnerships, and localized policy adaptations are critical to enhancing employment outcomes in Benin and can inform similar agencies in comparable contexts.