Benin Telecommunications Sector Performance Review 2007

Benin
Guarantee and ensure the freedom and protection of the media as
well as all means of communication in accordance with the law;
Ensure the respect for ethics in relation to information and equal
access of political parties, associations and citizens to official means
of information and communication;
Guarantee the equal and appropriate use of public media organisations
and audiovisual communication by institutions of the Republic
in accordance with their constitutional missions and ensure the necessary
arbitrations where required.
The HAAC is responsible for the regulation of the print media, radio and
television as well as the management of radio and television frequencies.
THE MINISTER DELEGATE AT THE PRESIDENCY OF THE
REPUBLIC IN CHARGE OF NICS (MDCCN/PR)
The main duty of the Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic
in charge of NICs (MDCCN/PR) is to promote the development and use
of ICTs. He is the administrative and political supervisory authority of
the telecommunications and audiovisual sectors. In this regard, the main
role of the ministry of telecommunications is to define policies for the
sector. It further acts as the sector’s regulatory and control authority, as
well as managing the granting of licences and choice of technological
standards.
Also, in accordance with its regulatory mission, the Ministry, through the
Posts and Telecommunications Policy Department (DPPT) performs the
following duties:
Proposes general policies on the sector to the government and monitors
their implementation;
Oversees the management of public operators, which includes the
preparation and updating of specifications, negotiations and the
monitoring of the programme contract;
Ensures equality among operators involved in the delivery of new or
value-added services;
Ensures that the pricing policy of operators providing basic services,
as well as technical conditions for the connection to the network and
rules of compensation for interconnection between different networks,
does not lead to abuse of a dominant position that would hamper
the development of competition;
Authorises private operators involved in the delivery of new and
value-added services. It also defines their specifications and controls
the implementation of these;
Endorses terminals and exchanges that are likely to be connected to
the public network;
Ensures that regulatory instruments relating to telecommunications
are implemented.
It should be noted that part of these duties fall within the jurisdiction of
the regulatory authority. Therefore, once put in place, these powers,
duties and functions will be transferred to this authority.
THE BENIN INFORMATICS CENTRE (CBI)
It is the role of the CBI to ensure the regulation and the control of computerisation
programmes in the Beninese public service. It is also
16 2007 Telecommunications Sector Performance Review