In accordance with international conventions, laws and regulations in force in the Republic of Benin, the Ministry of Water and Mines has the mission of developing, implementing and ensuring the monitoring and evaluation of Government policy in the areas of Water, Mines and Hydrocarbons.

As such, it is responsible for:

in the field of water:

• to define and implement policy and regulations for the management of the public water domain and to ensure their implementation;
• assess national water needs taking into account social, geographic disparities and demographic and economic growth in order to develop optimal and adequate governance strategies for the sector;
• to ensure, in collaboration with all stakeholders in the water sector, the implementation of drinking water supply, sanitation and wastewater disposal strategies, both in rural and urban areas;
• to promote the integrated management of water resources and establish the relevant bodies;
• to ensure the promotion and monitoring of the activities of river basin management structures, basin and sub-basin committees and local water committees;
• to promote the establishment of infrastructure for mobilizing water resources and controlling water quality;
• to set up and ensure the operation of a water information system including knowledge and good practices in the sustainable management of water resources and to disseminate data on the resource, hydraulic structures and developments ;
• to participate in any environmental initiative concerning the water sector undertaken by the State or its partner institutions;
• to monitor compliance with the regulations in force by public and private companies and structures operating in the water sector;

in the field of mining:

• to define and implement policy and regulations regarding research, exploitation and rational use of mining resources and mineral resources;
• to participate in any environmental initiative concerning the mining sector undertaken by the State or its partner institutions;
• to monitor compliance with the regulations in force by public and private companies and structures operating in the mining sector;
• to support the development of regional and international cooperation and to ensure the representation of Benin in international organizations in the field of mines;
• to ensure the implementation of international agreements to which Benin has subscribed in the field of mines;
• to ensure the mobilization of resources for the implementation of plans, programs, projects and budgets in the mining sector;

in the field of hydrocarbons:

• to define and implement policy and regulations regarding research, exploitation and use of hydrocarbons;
• to participate in any environmental initiative undertaken by the State or its partner institutions;
• to monitor compliance with the regulations in force by public and private companies and structures operating in the field of hydrocarbons;
• to support the development of regional and international cooperation and to ensure the representation of Benin in international organizations in the field of hydrocarbons;
• to ensure the implementation of international agreements to which Benin has subscribed in the field of hydrocarbons;
• to ensure the mobilization of resources for the implementation of plans, programs, projects and budgets in the hydrocarbon sector;