Benin News

The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association additional credit to support and strengthen the activities of the Second Decentralized City Management ...

The Mozambican Agriculture Ministry is to have its b udget increased from the current 4 per cent to between 6 and 10 per cent of the t otal state budget, in order to lead the government's drive for increased ...

Suspected vandals have cut off phone services to Nigeria's presidential villa in the capital city of Abuja, after severing cables belonging to the nation's main telecommunications gateway Nigerian ...

Some of the 35 African, Caribbean and Pacific states that have initialled interim economic partnership agreements may still withdraw from the process - apart from the 44 states that have so far refused to sign ...

In its drive to become a true pan-African telecommunications operator, Nigeria's Second National Operator , Globacom, at the weekend won a licence for Global System of Mobile communications in Ghana.

COTONOU, 8 May 2008 (IRIN) - Twenty years ago Benin was among the countries in West Africa most affected by endemic river blindness. Today the disease, which causes blindness and chronic skin irritation and is blamed for stunting economic growth of the populations it affects, has been almost completely eradicated. “We have massively decreased the incidence of the epidemic,” Laurent Assogba, a director at the Benin ministry of health said. Health workers are holding the country up as an example of what can be achieved with sustained funding and political will. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes Benin, and other West African countries where river blindness has been eradicated, as an “ongoing success story” and an example of the “value of synergy” that is necessary for good disease control programmes.

The Love Life Caravan is passing through Benin, as it travels the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor.

GLOBACOM, Nigeria's national operator, is launching its GSM services in the Republic of Benin today as part of the plan to become the largest and most successful telecom network in Africa.

In the tiny West African country of Benin, voodoo has been practised for 10,000 years, but efforts to preserve its ancient oral traditions are exacting a harsh toll on its faithful, splitting families and pushing people deeper into poverty. Benin is unique in recognising voodoo as an official religion, followed by two-thirds of its 7.6 million people. It involves a pantheon of gods and spirits whose intercession is sought through animal blood sacrifice. But to survive, voodoo needs a new generation to pass on sacred mysteries, so thousands of children are initiated by its priests every year. But the price of the ceremonies can be unbearable and some parents are selling their children to repay voodoo debts

Guinean Defence minister sacked Conakry, Guinea - Guinean President Lansana Conte on Tuesday sacked his d efence minister, General Mamadou Bailo Diallo, official sources said in Conakry.

By Jacques Lhuillery Lagos - The rice shortage in Africa could end up being a blessing in disguise, according to a report issued ahead of a Japanese conference on African development.

The year 2007 and perhaps 2008, presented a tough challenge for most operators of the Nigerian banking industry.

Mass was celebrated at the Vatican on Friday for the repose of the soul of Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, who died on 13 May at the age of 86.

In a scene on a popular Benin TV series, a farmer named Codjo puts his wife out on the streets because she kept asking him for more and more money to buy groceries.

The first edition of a drama competition among Francophone African nations will hold 11-14 December in Cotonou, Benin's economic capital, organisers said here Sunday.

W HOEVER, among the artists, won a prize at the ongoing international biennial art event, Dak'Art 2008 must have passed through a keenly contested art exhibition and competition of the continent's biggest art ...

Second main line container vessel reached the port on Wednesday MANGALORE: The second ship service allowing direct import and export of goods packed in standard containers from West Africa has commenced from ... via The Hindu

Benedict XVI sent the following telegram to Archbishop Marcel Honorat Leon Agboton of Cotonou, Benin, for the death of Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean emeritus of the College of Cardinals. via Global Catholic Network EWTN

THE National Universities Commission has dismissed five universities operating in the country The institutions are St Paul University College, and Blacksmith University, Awka both in Anambra State, University ... via Vanguard

Sub-Saharan Africa Babilown [Fr] puts Benin's local election results in perspective: “[it's as if] the opposition won China, Russia, Brazil and Mexico, while the ruling party snatched up Belgium and even Canada, but also Crete, Malta, the Cayman Islands, the Vatican, Albania, Haiti, Barbados, Cap Verde, Estonia, Lithuania, Israel, Jordan, Rwandan, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Serbia, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, all the members of the United Nations, and other more or less imaginary countries like the Kingdom of the Sahara and the Freedland Republic…or the Kingdom of Redonda.”