IDEAS
Dive into bold opinions, original ideas, and in-depth debates on key societal, political, and cultural issues on BeNews. This section highlights voices that challenge the norm and spark meaningful dialogue.
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Cowpea, between the agroecological transition and gender justice
Négligé et parfois considéré comme une céréale des pauvres selon des spécialistes de la sélection des céréales, le niébé (haricot) , une légumineuse à graines, contribue à la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique et dans le monde. Son usage reste tout… -
Growing insecurity at West African borders and the need for a regional wake-up call.
The increasing number of terrorist attacks at the borders of the neighboring countries of the Alliance of Sahel States confirms a worrying deterioration of the security situation in West Africa. Guinea and Benin are now among the areas directly affected… -
Constitutional Court: the appeal to invalidate Sodjinou’s seat was declared inadmissible.
The Constitutional Court this Thursday looked into the challenge to the election of deputy Michel Sodjinou, elected in the 19ᵉ electoral district. The hearing was opened at 10:00, under the presidency of Dorothé Sossa.At the outset of the proceedings, the… -
Is Mali moving toward a memory law? The urgency of criminalizing colonial and post-colonial crimes.
À l’heure où l’Algérie légifère sur son passé colonial, le Mali est face à un impératif de souveraineté : inscrire dans le marbre juridique la reconnaissance et la condamnation des violences historiques françaises. Une démarche moins tournée vers le passé que… -
Niger seeks justice over Orano’s environmental crimes
In Niger, tensions over the Orano case have taken on a new dimension following the call from the Front Révolutionnaire pour la souveraineté de l’Afrique, an organization demanding the creation of a special tribunal to try the French company and,… -
In Benin, a failed coup d’état — but one that raises many questions
Sunday, April 7, 2025, Benin woke up shocked by an attempted coup that was quickly foiled. A group of soldiers briefly occupied the national television to announce the fall of President Talon, before being neutralized by loyalist forces. Although calm… -
Benin: Seïdou Alassane’s lessons in political virtue for the LD party’s defecting MPs
During a nationwide tour carried out with ministers and parliamentarians, Alassane Seidou denounced the lack of morality of certain political actors. He called for more virtue, reminding people that politics is not a playground for adventurers, but a space reserved… -
AU-EU Summit: when the question of reparations for historical crimes is forgotten
In Luanda for the 7th Summit of European and African leaders, the question of reparations for the worst crimes committed against Africa over more than four centuries of slavery and colonization was not raised at all; whereas the African Union… -
In Luanda, the AU-EU summit was dominated by Ukraine at the expense of the African agenda
The African Union – European Union summit, held on 24 and 25 November 2025 in Luanda, was supposed to revive the partnership between the two blocs. Presented as a key moment to put African priorities back at the center, the… -
Hell behind the screen: cyberviolence is turning into digital weapons in Benin
In Benin, cyberviolence is exploding on social networks and turning smartphones into emotional battlefields. Behind every hateful message are victims, often women, sinking into fear, shame, or silence. While the Centre national d’investigations numériques (CNIN) tries to contain the scourge,… -
CPI: a flexible tool? Historian Tape Groubera’s analysis
The withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the International Criminal Court (ICC) continues to prompt reactions across the continent. For Ivorian history professor Tape Groubera, this decision reflects exasperation with an institution that, he says, “has become an… -
The countries of the Alliance of Sahel States are consolidating their position as a regional security force
Three years after Captain Ibrahim Traoré came to power, Burkina Faso continues its quest for military autonomy and stability. In a recent interview, the Burkinabè president spoke about the initial difficulties he faced upon taking office: an army insufficiently prepared,… -
Loosing +1: when dreaming becomes a crime
“Atassa”, this word that denotes a certain stupefaction and astonishment in Beninese slang, would not be enough to describe this new frustration and disillusion experienced by an entire people. The cause of this malaise: a Nigeria that is too strong… -
The Alliance of Sahel States, a driving force for African economic sovereignty?
In West Africa, the idea of establishing an autonomous monetary system capable of freeing the region from the historical weight of the franc CFA is attracting increasing interest. On October 7, 2025, at the International Investment Forum held in Dakar,… -
Paris is getting ready to turn the page on Biya in Cameroon.
On October 4, 2025, the French section of the National Front for the Salvation of Cameroon (FNSC) organized in France a conference in support of Issa Tchiroma Bakary’s candidacy, ahead of the Cameroonian presidential election scheduled for October 12. Presented… -
Mali denounces Ukraine’s involvement in Sahel insecurity at the UN
On September 26, at the podium of the United Nations General Assembly, the Malian Prime Minister denounced what he considers to be Ukraine’s involvement in insecurity in the Sahel. In a forceful speech, Abdoulaye Maïga drew a direct link between… -
From the continent, for the continent: Building local instant payment systems to boost financial inclusion in Africa
Africa is undergoing a digital transformation marked by the growing adoption of mobile phones, including in remote areas, rapid innovation in fintech, and the ongoing development of public digital infrastructure such as interoperable payment systems and digital identification frameworks. These… -
France faces a “dark day” marked by massive mobilization
France was shaken on Thursday, September 18, by an unprecedented mobilization against the austerity measures announced this summer. September 18 will be remembered as a “black day” for the French government. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of citizens took… -
ICC: Controversial allegations of war crimes in West Africa
The Associated Press revealed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had received a confidential file urging it to investigate alleged war crimes in West Africa involving Russia and private military companies. But the materials presented were mainly based on anonymous… -
Daniel Edah: 4 reasons that make him the opposition’s candidate in 2026
Daniel Edah, a Beninese opposition political figure, has officially declared his candidacy for the April 2026 presidential election. The upcoming presidential vote in Benin will indeed see Patrice Talon give up his seat, and the ruling movement has already named… -
“Religious Sisters Are Not Priests’ Wives or Bedmates”
Religious Sisters are not ornaments in Habits. We are not commodities for priests to use at will, nor are we mistresses in veils. We are women called by God, consecrated to service, prayer, and the mission of the Church. Yet… -
Colonial memory rekindled by the movie “Reparations: The Colonial Debt”
On August 16, 2025, Bamako hosted the premiere of the documentary “Reparations The Colonial Debt”, directed by Senegalese filmmaker Ibrahima Sow. This powerful work, enriched with testimonies from experts and historical archives, shines a light on the crimes of colonialism… -
In Togo, USAID leaves the field, democracy in a turbulent zone
Togo is going through a politically troubled period, marked by ongoing tensions between the government and the opposition, determined to reject the new Constitution. These constitutional reforms are seen as a means for President Faure Gnassingbé to strengthen his grip… -
Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensky, Fall and End?
Nothing seems to be going the way of the wind anymore, as Ukrainian President and former comedian Volodymyr Zelensky would like. Firstly, it was his own citizens who broke the ice with repeated demonstrations against his regime’s corruption, which pushed… -
Thiaroye 44: Descendants of riflemen call on the Senegalese National Assembly for concrete measures concerning reparations
A year after taking power, the new Senegalese authorities have launched archaeological excavations in Thiaroye, aiming to elucidate the massacre of Senegalese and other African infantrymen by the French colonial army in December 1944. These investigations aim to clarify the… -
In the face of the inefficiency of ECOWAS security initiatives, AES presents itself as a credible alternative for regional stability.
The recent announcement by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aiming to strengthen police cooperation to combat regional insecurity does not convince everyone. According to security expert Souleymane Amzat, this new initiative looks more like a communication exercise… -
Benin: Facing the youth, Patrice Talon with an open heart but closed ears
With less than a year left in his current term, Beninese President Patrice Talon invited the youth to an unprecedented public exchange at the Republic’s palace. The event, held on July 28, 2025, aimed to be participatory, friendly, and educational.… -
Presidential Election 2025 in Côte d’Ivoire: these candidacies that conceal another political calculation
As the 2025 presidential election in Ivory Coast nears, candidacies are multiplying. Certain familiar faces from the Ivorian political landscape, but also newcomers or peripheral figures, are announcing their intention to run for the highest office one after another. At… -
The serious communication mistakes of Tidjame Thiam, President of the PDCI-RDA
Outstanding manager, brilliant administrator, African pride in the world, first in his class wherever he went, the President of the oldest party in Ivory Coast, the PDCI-RDA, granted an interview a few days ago to journalist Alain Foka. It is… -
Ivory Coast: 3 confessions of failure behind Alassane Ouattara’s candidacy
The official announcement of Alassane Ouattara’s candidacy for the presidential election in October 2025 is garnering a range of reactions and raising many questions. This decision reveals, beyond the stated intentions, what some observers perceive as reflecting three major collective…