Independence Day of Benin

BENIN Independence Day is celebrated on August 1 to mark the day in 1960 when the country gained independence from France. Grand celebrations take place throughout the country. National leaders deliver speeches reflecting on the past and highlighting present achievements. The national flag is proudly displayed throughout the country and the national anthem is sung in government offices, schools, and other public institutions.

Benin was formerly the Kingdom of Dahomey. Dahomey became a French protectorate in 1892, and was absorbed into French West Africa in 1904. In 1946, after the end of World War II, Dahomey gained the status of an overseas territory of France. In 1948, it was granted two senatorial seats in the French parliament. An elected Territorial Assembly had some control over the budget. In 1958, Dahomey became a self-governing entity, and on August 1, 1960, it gained complete independence from French rule. The country was renamed Benin in 1975, a neutral name inclusive of the various ethnic groups of the country.

French-speaking Benin is a narrow, north-south strip of land in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo in the west, Nigeria in the east, Burkina Faso and Niger in the north, and the Bight of Benin in the south. Its capital, Porto-Novo, is a port on inlet of the Gulf of Guinea that is located in the southeastern section of the country. Although Porto-Novo is the official capital of Benin and is where the national legislature meets, the larger city of Cotonou is the seat of government, where most of the government buildings are situated and where government departments operate. Benin’s economy relies mainly on agriculture, trade, and exports.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Benin and the Philippines are maintained and strengthened by their consulate offices. Benin has a Consulate Office in Manila, while the Philippines has a Consulate Office in Cotonou. Benin is very active in the international milieu being a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation, La Francophone, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, the African Petroleum Producers Association, and the Nigerian Basin Authority.

We greet the People and Government of the Republic of Benin, led by President Patrice Talon, on the occasion of its Independence Day.