On an official visit to Brasília, the President of Benin, Patrice Talon, announced that the country will grant its nationality to all Afro-descendants, including Brazilians, who have ancestors on the African continent. According to him, the Beninese Parliament will vote “in the coming days” on a law presented by the government for this purpose.
Talon made the announcement alongside President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, during a reception at the Itamaraty Palace.
“In our view, all Afro-descendant Brazilians are Beninese, and this is an advantage for Benin. For this reason, in the coming days, a law will be passed in Benin to recognize Beninese nationality for all Afro-descendants who wish for it,” Talon said. “Beyond historical and emotional reasons, our approach contributes, in our opinion, to better connectivity between nations.”
Benin was one of the main departure points for slaves from the African continent to the Americas, with Brazil and Haiti among their primary destinations. Notably, Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery, on May 13, 1888.
Today, descendants of Brazilian slaves who returned to Benin play a significant role in the country’s society. Surnames like “Medeiros,” “Souza,” and “Silva” are common in Benin, where the official language is French. The capital, Porto-Novo, also has a Portuguese-influenced name due to this heritage.
According to Talon, the people of Benin, “without forgetting the painful past that links them to America through slavery, have turned the page of resentment and consider that America, particularly Brazil, with its diverse origins, including Benin, is a wealth.”
“Friendship, fraternity, and integration of peoples are, for us, a powerful factor for shared development and peace. This is our ultimate goal of cooperation,” he reiterated.
In his speech, Lula also recalled the bonds between the two countries formed by slavery.
“In Ouidah, the hometown of President Talon, there is one of the ‘doors of no return’ on the African coast. They are named so because it was believed that those who passed through them would never return,” he said. “Surviving the inhumane conditions imposed by slavery, some managed to return, bringing a bit of Brazil with them. Benin is home to one of the largest communities of ‘returnees’ on the continent, filled with Souzas, Silvas, Santos, and Carvalhos. Those who stayed here rooted themselves in our identity, making Brazil the third country with the largest black population in the world.”
G20 Agendas
Lula also stated that Brazil will incorporate “the perspective of the African continent” into its global actions, such as its presidency of the G20 this year.
He recalled part of Brazil’s agenda leading the entity, such as debt forgiveness for developing countries in exchange for investments, taxing the super-rich, and a Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty.
“Together with the African Union, which is participating for the first time as a full member of the group, we have been highlighting the problem of debt. What we see today is an absurd net export of resources from the poorest countries to the richest countries,” said Lula. “There is no way to invest in education, health, or climate adaptation if a significant part of the budget is consumed by debt service.”
According to the Brazilian president, the G20 working group on financial architecture will hold a debate with African experts in June, whose results will be presented at the G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting.
“If the 3,000 billionaires on the planet paid 2% taxes on their fortunes, we could generate enough resources to feed the 340 million people who, according to the FAO, face severe food insecurity in Africa,” he said. “Many developing countries have already formulated effective policies to eradicate hunger and poverty. Our goal in the G20 is to mobilize resources to expand and adapt them to other realities. Therefore, we invite African countries to join our Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty, which will be open for memberships starting in July.”
