Stories from Quick Reads and Benin
The Impact of Climate Change on the Rural Population of Benin
Alain TOSSOUNON of Benin posted on the West African Network of Journalists for water and sanitation (WASH) blog a summary of the report on the evaluation of post disaster needs in Benin after the recent major floods. The disaster caused the death of nearly fifty people and caused damage estimated...
Meet Valentin Agon, Pioneer of Local Cures Against Infectious Diseases in Benin
Valentin Agon is the creator of the Api-Palu pill, a locally produced remedy based on endemic plants. He was just awarded [fr] the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Award for his new product against malaria. Pascal Hounkpatin reports for La Presse du Jour: De la cueillette des feuilles au produit fini (gélules...
A 80 Year-long Wait: Niger Gets its First Train Station
On April 7, Niger inaugurated in the capital Niamey its first train station ever [fr]. The authorities already projected the construction of the train station 80 years ago but the project never took off. The event will kick start the construction of railroads between Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire....
Examining the Post-Colonial Evolution of Francophone and Anglophone Africa
The topic of the post-colonial evolution of francophone versus anglophone African states has always a fodder for intense debate. Cheidozié Dike, from Nigeria, brings a new perspective to the subject : While the French Loi Cadre system was mostly about integration, the British colonial system sought only exploitation. Creating an...
INFOGRAPHIC: Pursuit of Happiness in Africa
The Afrographique blog mapped the happiness index for the African continent. Topping the ranking are Angola and Mauritius who hold the same happiness index as Albania and Russia, respectively. In related news, the Pharell’ single “Happy” has been used by dancers around the world to celebrate the new year 2014....
French Strategical Report to Counter China's Economic Influence in Africa
Top Francophone economists & diplomats (namely H El-Karoui from Morocco, T Thiam from Côte d'Ivoire, L Zinsou from Benin, J-M Severino and H Vedrine from France) submitted a joint report [fr] that outlines the strategy that France should implement to remain competitive on the African Market in the near future. Joel Té-Léssia highlights...
Massive Railway Project between Niamey and Cotonou Underway
A 1,500 km-long railway project between Niamey, the capital city of Niger and Cotonou, the capital city of Benin has been green lighted by the authorities of the two countries and construction will begin on March 2014 [fr]. Francois Ndiaye in Niamey unpacks the set up of the financial agreement [fr] that includes...
The FIRE Awards Winners for Internet Development in Africa
The FIRE programme awards, an initiative of AFRINIC, acknowledge the actors from the African region who strive to provide solutions to internet development for the African Continent. The 2013 FIRE Awards Winners are : Nikohapa Ventures Ltd for their customer engagement platform (Kenya) HSoft Africa, Ltd for an adapted mail-order pharmacy (Benin...
What are Citizens’ Main Concerns in Benin ?
Tite Yokossi unpacks a poll by the Zinsou Foundation that asked the citizens of Benin what are their main concerns today [fr]. The first concern listed was the low purchasing power of public servants. The other main concerns are access to education, access to clean water, health care and electricity,...
Benin Journalist Gets Three Months in Prison
Jolome News notes that the International Federation of Journalists has denounced the sentencing of Ms. Berthe Cakpossa to three months in prison and a fine of 500.000 francs CFA (the equivalent of $1,000 US) for insulting Boni Yayi, the Head of State. Ms. Cakpossa is the director of a private...
University in Benin Changes its Name after Equatoguinean Dictator
You can now call him Doctor Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. MyGab.Tv reports that [fr] the Univesité internationale du Bénin UPIB is now called Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo University after the Equatoguinean dictator. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has been the benefactor of many schools in Benin [fr] and has received a doctorate degree Honoris...
Benin: Organizing Volunteer Holidays to Share Specific Expertise
Youphil writes [fr] about a project driven by Espace Volontariats du Bénin and supported by France Volontaires that promotes volunteer holidays in Porto Novo and Sô-Ava. The project will help experts share their knowledge in fields such as accounting, communication, ICT & project management with local NGOs.
Benin: Fear and Loathing as State of Emergency is Declared
Justin Yarga reacts [fr] to the statement issued by the government of Benin on alleged large-scale terrorist plots and planned national strikes [fr] to destabilize the country. A state of emergency has been declared [fr] but many wonder whether such measures are justified.
Benin: Introducing the African School of Economics
Dr. Leonard Wantchekon introduced the African School of Economics ASE at the World Bank on June 14. The campus will be located in the city of Akassato in Abomey-Calavi (Benin), near Cotonou. The goal of the school is to “to address the dearth of quality tertiary education, cutting-edge research, and innovative public policy in...
Africa: African Perspectives Online
African Perspectives is an online platform for Africans on the continent or in the Diaspora – that is People of African Descent – to showcase their very own perspective on a given situation, a cultural event in their region, talk and discuss approaches of investments in their country or how...
Africa/Caribbean: Vote for the YoBloCo Awards
Public evaluation is now open for the “Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition” (YoBloCo) : “We received more than 90 entries for the competition, among which we shortlisted a total of 36 blogs for the Individual Category and 16 blogs for the Institutional Category.”
Africa: Open Doors 2012: Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa
Open Doors 2012 focuses on Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa: “Following on from India in 2011, the next edition of Open Doors, the Festival del film Locarno’s co-production lab, will be devoted to francophone Africa…Application forms for Open Doors 2012 are available on www.onopendoors.pardo.ch and are restricted to projects from francophone Sub-saharan...
Togo: 3rd BarCamp Selects the Translation for “Blog” in Ewé Language
In its presentation of the third edition of BlogCamp Togo, togocouleurs explains that [fr] the Togolese blogosphere coined a new word for “blog” in the Ewé language (spoken in Togo, Ghana and Benin) : “with the vote taking place directly on the ETTIC [fr] (‘Togolese Space for Information and Communication Technologies’)...
Africa : Delicious Peanut
Nadia Khouri-Dagher writes a post on afrik.com [fr] where she praises the peanut, a condiment that has been integrated in most African cuisines: “Senegalese Chicken Mafé, Malian Peanuts Tiguadegue sauce, Ghanean Inkatse-abè sauce, Togolese Azindéssi sauce, Beninese Aziin nusunnu sauce, Congolese moambe chicken, Peanut rougail from Reunion Islands,… : The peanut...
Benin: Meet Benin's Rising Star
Chale writes about the rising star of Benin's music: “Kiinzah is certainly one of the rising stars in the African music scene. We discovered the Benin singer recently through a Gabonese Youtube channel, that alone signifies how she's crossed over her country's borders and is making a mark on the...
