Open-Doors Policy and Economic Contribution of Urban Refugees in Host Countries: Evidence from Benin

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue IV, April 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Open-Doors Policy and Economic Contribution of Urban Refugees in Host Countries: Evidence from Benin

Hounton, S¹ and Abuya Willice O.^2
1Dept of Political Science, Moi University, Kenya
²Dept. of Sociology & Psychology, Moi University, Kenya
*Corresponding author

Abstract: This paper assesses the economic contribution of ur-ban refugees in Benin. The main objective of the research is to assess the economic contribution of urban refugees settled in Cotonou to the host community in Benin, examine the challenges they are facing, and the refugee’s policy impact. Therefore, this study used a mixed-methods approach to design and collect primary data on refugees from Central Africa Republic (CAR) who resides in the urban areas of Benin in Cotonou. In addition, the study used respondent-driven sampling (RDS) technique. The qualitative data collected enable us to understand the chal-lenges facing refugees and policies and practices in Benin. Meanwhile, the theory used in this research is inspired by the neoclassical theory of demand and new institutional economics. Moreover, the quantitative analysis is strengthened by the econometric framework analysis. The results revealed that the refugees in the urban areas of Benin in Cotonou face a lot of challenges in terms of employment. The larger population of them lack a consistent income to strengthen their livelihood. But the refugee’s policies and practices are in their favour. Thus, the regression analysis revealed that the refugees in Benin con-tribute positively and significantly to the host community’s economy.

Key words: Urban Refugees, Host Country, Benin, Economic contribution, Open-Door Policy

I.INTRODUCTION

Owing to the dynamic world today, refugees and the pro-cess of forced migration have implications on the social, political, and economic conditions of host countries glob-ally, and especially in Africa (Linet, 2017). The overall estimated population of forcefully displaced people is about 79.5 million (UNHCR, 2020). More than 26% of these refugees are hosted in Africa. Many countries, like Kenya and Benin, have hosted refugees since the 1970s. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees the government of Benin presently plays hosts to 1,244 refugees and 435 asylum seekers populations in West Africa. The vast majorityare from Central African Republic (78.6%) followed by Ivory Coast (13.2%) while 8.3% are from other countries (UNHCR – Benin, 2020). Several African countries perceive refugees as a threat to their resources and national security. Moreover, most host governments have been reluctant to reallocate scarce re-s

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