ORIENTATION AND LIMITATIONS OF FRENCH AID FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT - BENIN, CONGO AND THE CENTRAL-AFRICAN-REPUBLIC

In the context of democratisation and of improvement of good governanc e, this article studies the relations between some african states and their principal bilateral donor : France. It evaluates the conception and the short-term effects of the policies implemented in the framewor k of ''institutional development''. After presenting the general orien tations of this aid for all the countries involved in the field of Fre nch cooperation, the research focuses on three case studies: Benin, Co ngo and Central African Republic. An analysis of the financial orienta tion of this aid and also, of the present situation in the countries u nder study reveal the existence of a gap between the desired objective s of institutional development and their actual impact on the consolid ation of democracy. It points, namely, to the reinforcement of interna l security functions, which is a paradox, since this type of reform ca n better be implemented by an authoritarian regime.