NEWS

Governance in Benin: Wilfried Houngbédji Reaffirms the Exclusive Leadership of President Romuald Wadagni Speaking during his traditional meeting with the press on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the government spokesperson, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji, provided a firm outlook on the management of…

Just a few days away from a well-deserved retreat, a nursing assistant working in a public health facility in Dassa-Zoumè finds herself at the center of a fierce judicial storm. Detained by security forces while in possession of 48 kilograms…

In Benin, a man recently released following a pardon granted by President Romuald Wadagni has been arrested again. The suspect was caught red-handed for theft on the evening of Friday, August 7, 2026, around 8 PM, in the Alassancomè neighborhood,…

José Mourinho has reportedly informed several players that they are not part of his plans for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Real Madrid remains attentive to the transfer market, although recruiting a midfielder is not considered a priority. The…

The international financial rating agency Moody’s has officially re-evaluated the long-term sovereign rating of the Republic of Benin, raising it from “B1” to “Ba3” with a “stable” outlook. Announced on Friday, August 7, 2026, this decision reinforces the credibility and…

The Dèkoungbé neighborhood, in the municipality of Abomey-Calavi, is in shock after a macabre discovery. A young man has been arrested by the Republican Police, suspected of having murdered and decapitated his biological father. The events reported by Fraternité fm…

A police investigation carried out by the Sèmèrè district police in the Ouaké municipality has unraveled a motorcycle theft case marked by a dispute between two alleged accomplices. Presented to the judicial authority, the two individuals were placed under detention…

Benin has paid 561.8 million FCFA in compensation to 94,905 rice and cotton producers who suffered yield losses during the 2025-2026 agricultural campaign. The scheme, launched as part of a pilot phase of multi-risk index agricultural insurance, is set to…

Held from August 5 to 7, 2026, in Cotonou, the third session of the Advisory Assembly of the National Education Council (CNE) called for intensified efforts in favor of scientific and technological fields. Participants identified several barriers to student orientation…

Benin achieved a completion rate of 73% during the 2026 annual political review of the reforms, policies, programs, and community projects of UEMOA. The evaluation focused on 145 texts in the areas of economic convergence, the common market, and sectoral…

A circular dated July 24, 2026, outlines the modernization of document management within Beninese public administrations. The reform aims to reduce the reliance on paper, streamline archiving costs, and facilitate access to the state’s documentary resources. The text, referenced N°0142/MBFP/MTDI/SP-C,…

Guinea has signed the mining convention with Nimba Mining Company, created after the withdrawal of the bauxite concession from GAC, a subsidiary of Emirates Global Aluminium, in the Boké region. The text still needs to be ratified by Parliament before…

Held on July 25 and 26, 2026, alongside the Festival of Masks, the international scientific conference “Vodun Masks: Heritage and Modernity” brought together researchers, academics, museum curators, traditional dignitaries, and cultural actors in Porto-Novo. The discussions focused on the preservation,…

The Democratic Party contests the creation of the Beninese Senate and the election of former president Patrice Talon as the head of the new upper chamber. Now enshrined in law, the institution is called by the opposition to ensure greater…

The Beninese Minister of Maternal and Primary Education, Armand Kuyema Natta, began a contact tour on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in the departments of Ouémé and Plateau. This first official outing since his appointment aims to engage with sector leaders…

The Beninese Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Employment Promotion, Awaou Baco, conducted a tour in the Alibori and Borgou departments on July 28 and 29, 2026. This visit took her to SMEs, craftsmen, rabbit breeders, training centers, and…

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in charge of Technical Training, is launching an entrance exam for first-year admission to several schools and institutes of public universities in Benin for the academic year 2026-2027. Candidates must hold a…

The Congolese government has reacted to revelations about the presence of significant amounts of uranium in cobalt shipments exported to China. However, Kinshasa disputes the scope of the scientific conclusions published in Nature Communications and announces a campaign of contradictory…

Almost eighteen months after joining the Open Government Partnership (OGP), Benin organized a national workshop from July 27 to 31, 2026, in Cotonou, dedicated to the appropriation of open governance principles. The discussions aim to contribute to the preparation of…

The World Bank estimates that artificial intelligence could significantly accelerate the development of low or middle-income countries, enabling them to achieve in ten years progress that would normally take a century. However, this outlook remains contingent on significant investments in…

Senegal and the World Bank have formalized a set of financing totaling 220.7 billion FCFA, or about 388.5 million dollars. The resources are aimed at strengthening responses to emergency situations, opening up agricultural production areas, and supporting the economic development…

The Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (CMMC) of Zone E brought together military officials, experts, and institutional representatives in Cotonou on July 22 and 23, 2026, to discuss maritime governance and security coordination. The seminar gathered the countries of Zone E…

Burkina Faso summoned the Nigerian chargé d’affaires after statements made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu linking insecurity in northern Nigeria to the presence of terrorist groups from neighboring Sahelian countries. In a statement released on August 7, the countries of…

The 22nd class of the preparatory course for obtaining the State-Major Diploma from the National Superior School of Armies (ENSA) recorded a success rate of 96.15%. The class comprises 26 trainees from seven countries, trained for ten months in staff…

Rwanda and the European Union have concluded a financing agreement of 40 million euros, which is about 46.2 million dollars, to modernize Rwandan agriculture. The arrangement aims to enhance the sector’s resilience to climate-related shocks and promote more inclusive participation…

The Moody’s agency upgraded Benin’s long-term sovereign rating from “B1” to “Ba3,” according to a statement from the Beninese presidency published on Friday, August 7, 2026. This one-notch improvement follows several years of sustained growth and budgetary consolidation. The outlook…

Benin launched a project on July 24, 2026, in Cotonou, aimed at restoring degraded lands and making the rice and maize value chains more sustainable. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and a national contribution, the program is expected…

The investigation ordered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into the fake Presidential Council for the Promotion of Foreign Investments (PFIPC) highlights forged documents, two other fictitious entities, and possible collusion within the administration. However, it appears that no public funding…

Ivory Coast celebrated its 66th Independence Day on Friday, August 7, 2026. In Abidjan, the speaking drum Djidji Ayôkwé, returned by France in March after several years of negotiations, was presented for the first time to the Ivorian public. The…

The 7th session of the Joint Cooperation Commission between Benin and Morocco took place on July 21, 2026, in Cotonou. The two countries concluded 14 agreements covering areas such as the economy, finance, security, training, higher education, culture, and sports.…