Cotonou, Benin - President Patrice Talon's government has submitted a bill to parliament that would grant Beninese citizenship to individuals of African descent. The proposed law seeks to strengthen cultural and historical ties with the descendants of Africans deported during the slave trade, addressing the deep wounds inflicted on African societies and the descendants of those enslaved.

According to the bill, an Afro-descendant is defined as "any person who, according to their genealogy, has sub-Saharan African ancestry deported outside the African continent as part of the slave trade." To be eligible, applicants must provide evidence of their African descent through civil status documents, authenticated testimonies, or DNA tests conducted by accredited institutions in Benin.

Successful applicants will receive a three-year Benin passport, but to obtain a naturalization certificate, they must stay in the country for a few days before their passport expires. However, this recognition of nationality does not grant political rights, such as the right to vote or access to civil service positions.

The government hopes this law will encourage African descendants to invest in the country and participate in its socio-economic development. The General Secretariat of the Government stated that this measure aims to "allow African descendants to reconnect with their roots and maintain a living link with the lands of their ancestors."

If adopted, Benin will join a select few African countries that allow citizenship by descent beyond the first generation, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Rwanda, and Zambia.

This initiative follows the government's recent decision to waive visa requirements for citizens of 31 African countries for stays of less than 90 days, further highlighting its commitment to African unity and solidarity.

While Benin's passport has limited global mobility, the country is part of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Settlement Bloc, which grants citizens the right to enter and reside in any of the 15 member states. However, the government still needs to clarify whether a passport alone would suffice for residing in an ECOWAS member state.

As the bill awaits parliamentary approval, it remains to be seen how this legislation will impact Benin's socio-economic landscape and its relations with the African diaspora.