in brief

The Beninese parliament is debating a draft law that proposes citizenship by descent to third-generation African descendants worldwide for those from places like Haiti, Brazil, the Caribbean, and the United States.

If approved, this legalization will place Benin among a number of other countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Rwanda and Zambia, which already grant citizenship to third-generation descendants and beyond.
Through this law, the government aims to restore lost links with the descendants of those who were sold into slavery from the African continent as part of the ugly and shameful era.
Candidates who want to obtain Beninese citizenship are required to provide evidence of their Afro-descent through official documents, authenticated testimonials or DNA tests.

The country’s Council of Ministers is debating this law which when (not if) passed will put additional pressure on other West African nations to follow suit.