Antigua and Barbuda establishes diplomatic relations with the Republic of Benin in West Africa
NEW YORK, 22nd December, 2023 – Antigua and Barbuda has established diplomatic relations with another African country.
On Thursday 12th December, the twin island nation opened formal ties with the Republic of Benin during a ceremony that took place at the headquarters of the Antigua and Barbuda Mission to the United Nations in New York.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Walton Webson and his counterpart from the West African country, Ambassdor Marc Hermanne Araba, added their signatures to a communique that expressed their country’s mutual desires to deepen cooperation in several areas.
During their discussions, both Ambassadors exchanged views on a number of matters with the Antigua and Barbuda diplomat sharing his commitment to explore the available opportunities where the two countries can benefit from their new found ties.
A significant portion of Benin’s population occupy the coastal areas of the country making it readily identifiable with some of the unique challenges that an island nation like Antigua and Barbuda grapple with constantly.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda continues to seek mutually beneficial avenues through which the historical ties between the twin island nation and the countries across the African continent can be strengthened and further maximised.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
The establishment of diplomatic ties with the Republic of Benin lacks substance. It failed to outline the sustainable benefits Antigua could expect from Benin.
ALP leader is actively, recklessly and foolishly promoting relationships with rogue West African countries without considering the long term problems associated with West African countries.
West and Central Arfica were heavily involved with the Middle Passage slave trade where they supported the Europeans to enslaved the he ancestors of Caribbeans. The West Africans were unscrupulous back then and they are worse today.
Notably, not one West African country has apologised to the Caribbeans for their part in the grotesque act against humanity.
Therefore, it’s puzzling that ALP should boast about forging diplomatic links West Africa. It’s a bad move, an action that undoubtedly will impact badly on Antigua similar to what transpired from Gaston and Olabanjo’s so called asylum seekers, Antigua Airways and Air Peace.
Another fine mess pending courtesy of GB.
What is the biggest problem in Benin?
Benin is a source, transit, and destination country for women, children, and men subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Most identified victims are Beninese girls subjected to domestic servitude or sex trafficking in Cotonou.
Antigua’s diplomats should heed to due diligence before forging diplomatic realtionship with West African countries.
@Antiguan4ever.
Hear Hear, say it loud and clear and if some are offended by the truth you speak, then so be it. You point out, quite rightly, that the West Africans have never apologized for the part their forebears played in the slave trade. Why so? One answer might be that slavery is endemic in those countries to this day, albeit not on the scale of times past. You have exposed what is known to many who know and many who do not know of the despicable actions of the past kings or Obas or whatever they were called and the deserved shame and approbrium justifiably heaped upon them. Why constantly blame the Europeans who at least documented and acknowledged the inhumane trafficking of Africans to North America, Central and South America and the Caribbean with its accompanied misery and stay silent when the finger is pointed at the West Africans who traded their brothers and sisters for trinkets, beads and glass? If anyone fails to recognize the abhorrency of the kings, chiefs and their accomplices then they themselves are cast in the same mould. The Europeans could not have carried out such an enormous undertaking without the help of those Africans in authority, not by ant stretch of the imagination. This brings me to the often heralded subject of reparation, the clarion call of those who think they spot a way of making easy money off the backs of those downtrodden and dehumanized slaves. The Europeans should pay they say, because they made chunks of money out of slavery which is true. But what of those despicable actors I referred to earlier? Not a peep out of the mouths of the reparationists. Why? There are two reasons I am totally against the reparationists and that is one of them. Why is this administration forcing Nigerians and other Africans down our throats? I haven’t got the answer but it it lies out there somewhere. Again, Hear Hear, say it loud and clear and if there are some who are offended, then so be it.
Typo: not by any.
Sounds like a great excuse for the political/diplomatic class to waste a stupid amount of our money on expensive hotels and entertainment.
Just tell me how formalising relationships with Benin, an impoverished country with a GDP per capita less than a tenth of Antigua has any benefit.
Whoever it is signing for Antigua is wearing sunglasses?
Establishing relationships with Africa 🌍 is good, IF done on good terms with RIGHTEOUS GOALS in mind.
Bit this is too much to ask from this administration.
Again, Gaston Browne’s ABLP government doing deals with countries that others tend to avoid …
… Antigua an economic FLOWER-HOUSE!
Point of history the Europeans and Americans wanted labor for their plantations in the Caribbean and americas with tropical climates they headed to West Africa. The major source of slaving was by war and burning of West African villages and cities of then like Benin empire and the city state of opobo. You are aware that the King of opobo eastern Nigeria who fought and opposed the British was banished to st. Vincent, the thousands of West African artefacts in Europe and North America were carted away during these wars, King Prempe of Ghana was banished to Cape Verde just to mention, there were other avenues of slave we can’t exhaust here. V.C. Bird was a noted Africanist, UPP under PM Spencer was the first Prime Minister to establish diplomatic relations with Africa. PM Gaston Browne is very visionary in continuing this diplomatic relations with Africa especially West Africa. He is trying to open a market for SIDS with West Africas about500 million population that is huge market for the Caribbean. It will not be an easy task as he stands to step on toes within and without, but he is thinking outside the box.
“The major source of slaving was by war and burning of West African villages”, you say. The question is who were involved in these wars and burning of villages? The wars were tribal and the captives were sold by the victors to the Europeans, put simply Africans sold their own kind to the slavev traders. It would be worth your while to read the story of Louis Asa Asa a captured African slave.
maryprince.org
What I find suspicious is our government constantly striving to establish relations with African countries who have never shown any interest in Antigua and Barbuda. Surely it should be the other way round? The crux of the matter is that West African kings and chiefs profitted handsomely from the slave trade and no amount of distraction about artifacts being stolen from Benin can alter that fact. Artifacts have been removed from their original countries and taken to countries like England in the past, e.g. The Parthenon Marbles of Greece, a sore point ongoing between the UK and Greece at this very moment. Any Caribbean country expecting an apology from any African country regarding their part in the slave trade can gaze skywards and hope to see pigs flying alongside the fastest jet in the sky. I may be wrong but …
Should be slave traders. slavev
The African diaspora wasn’t the only diaspora that shaped the geophysical history of the world. The Europeans Diaspora was ugly religious persecution that rise to USA, Europeans Diaspora especially British gave birth to Australia also a more urgly history but they have gone past there to the moon and now attempting to land on Mars. The name Africa and black is synonymous with the past. We are so entrapped in our past that we forget a whole vast universe of future as if the past is now our future.
What on earth are you talking about? European Diaspora and all that diatribe does not address what I wrote in my previous post. Here’s another chance for you to do so if you wish to. What’s this? Quote: “The name Africa and black is synonymous with the past” Unquote. Are we on the same planet?Maybe not.
Comments are closed.