Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Benin, in UN General Assembly, has emphasized the need for Africa to reconcile with its history in order to achieve progress.
Speaking on the importance of embracing Africa’s beliefs, traditions, and civilization, he highlighted Benin’s role as the birthplace of Vodun culture and its efforts to correct negative perceptions of the continent.
Bakari stressed that respect for Africa must go beyond acknowledging its past and should include a forward-looking, action-oriented Pan-Africanism aimed at reducing poverty and fostering prosperity.
He pointed out the disparity in travel freedom, noting that it is currently easier for Europeans to visit Africa than it is for Africans to travel within the continent. To address this, Benin has taken a significant step by removing visa requirements for all African nationals.
He also called for the African diaspora, particularly those displaced by the transatlantic slave trade, to reconnect with their roots, extending an invitation: “Africa is your home, and we await you with open arms.”
As 2024 marks the conclusion of the International Decade for People of African Descent, Bakari announced that Benin has made a historic move by passing a law that grants Beninese nationality to all Afro-descendants who seek it.
