Benin celebrated 61 years of independence on August 1, 2021 in sobriety. In his message to the nation, the president said, “We can be proud that we are now able to build our country, and to achieve most of what we lack.”

On the eve of the national holiday, the President of the Republic addressed the people of Benin in a televised speech. “If we succeed, it is because we have finally understood that we must not be content only with being politically developed, that we must above all work again and again to develop, to emancipate ourselves so as not to depend on the charity of others in order to be truly independent,” said Patrice Talon. He continues: “With our potential, our new mindset and the successes we are now achieving, the time it will take us to reach the remaining milestones will be much shorter than the lost time because we have finally started to truly realize our independence and we will keep this momentum forever

Patrice Talon welcomed the progress made under his presidency and gave a nod to the condition of Beninese women. The president is committed to fighting all forms of gender-based discrimination. In this regard, it recalls that the reform of the National Women's Institute is part of this framework. Women “will be rehabilitated as indispensable components of society”, promises the President of the Republic, who calls for a collective revival around this ideal, and he stressed, another development tool that requires bold action. It's about education and training. To this end, reforms have been initiated to ensure good training adapted to the country's needs.