Benin-Portuguese relations

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Benin-Portuguese relations
Location of Portugal and Benin
PortugalPortugal BeninBenin
Portugal Benin

The Benin-Portuguese relations describe the intergovernmental relationship between Benin and Portugal . The countries have had direct diplomatic relations since 1977.

At the end of the 15th century, Portuguese were the first Europeans in the region of what is now Benin. With São João Baptista d'Ajudá a Portuguese possession existed here until 1961, the annexation of which in 1961 marked the beginning of the decolonization of the Portuguese colonial empire .

In 2015, 12 citizens of Benin were registered in Portugal, while one Portuguese was registered at the consular office in Benin in 2008.

history

The Portuguese fortress of São João Baptista d'Ajudá around 1890

Portuguese seafarers were the first Europeans to reach the Bay of Benin around 1472 . They were impressed by the art treasures they saw there, especially the works of bronze, ivory, wood and terracotta . The politically most important state in the region was the Kingdom of Benin . A variety of political, diplomatic and trade relations then developed, especially between Benin and Portugal. They were the most important in the region between Volta and Niger , which later became known as the Slave Coast , and in which Portugal developed intense activities.

The most important trade goods here were slaves , which the Kingdom of Benin captured in its wars and sold to the Portuguese, who then brought them to their Fort São Jorge da Mina, founded in 1482 on the Portuguese Gold Coast (now Ghana ), and from there exchanged them for gold . The most important Portuguese ports in what is now Benin were Ouidah and Porto-Novo .

The Portuguese fortress in 1917

From these contacts a triangular trade developed between Portugal, Africa and Brazil in the 16th century , which, with increasing competition from the Dutch, French and English, turned into direct trade between the coast of Brazil and the Bay of Benin . Especially since the flight of the Portuguese royal family to Brazil and the establishment of the capital of the Portuguese Empire in Rio de Janeiro at the beginning of the 19th century, we have to speak of a direct relationship between Brazil and Africa. Above all, the French ethnologist Pierre Fatumbi Verger examined this relationship and in particular the resettlement of people between the slave coast and Brazil, both in the trade from the slave coast to Brazil and in the return of many former slaves there in the course of the abolition of slavery in the 19th century.

A number of surnames that are still in existence today in the region date from this period. a. da Silva , da Costa , da Rocha, de Souza , d'Almeida , dos Santos , Marinho, Martins and Olympio. The place name of the port city of Porto-Novo also goes back to the Portuguese.

In the 19th century, Benin became a French colony , but the small Portuguese exclave near Ouidah around the fort of Ajudá , which was probably built in 1680, remained Portuguese.

Entrance to Fort São João Baptista d'Ajudá , renovated with Portuguese help since the 1980s

In 1960, today's Benin became independent as the Republic of Dahomey and in 1961 occupied the Portuguese exclave. The Portuguese Salazar regime did not recognize the annexation and protested, but otherwise remained passive.

Friendly relations between Benin and Portugal did not develop until after the end of the colonial Estado Novo dictatorship with the left-wing Carnation Revolution in 1974. The new Portuguese government then ended the Portuguese colonial wars, released its previous colonies in 1975 and reorganized its international relations . In 1975, Portugal also recognized the annexation of the Ajudá exclave.

On July 21, 1977, the now democratic Portugal entered into diplomatic relations with Benin. The two countries did not establish mutual embassies afterwards.

The Portuguese fort of Ajudá, which the Dahomeys government converted into the historical museum of Ouidah in 1967, was renovated in the 1980s with Portuguese help.

diplomacy

Portugal does not have its own embassy in Benin, the country belongs to the administrative district of the Portuguese embassy in the Nigerian capital Abuja . Also consulates Portugal has no established in Benin.

Benin also does not have its own embassy in Portugal; the Benin representation in Rome is responsible . There is a consulate of Benin in the Portuguese capital Lisbon .

economy

Cotton cultivation near Malanville, Benin's main export

The Portuguese Chamber of Commerce AICEP does not have a branch in Benin; the AICEP office in the Nigerian capital Abuja is responsible.

In 2016, Portugal exported goods worth EUR 9.575 million to Benin ( 2015 : 6.466 million; 2014 : 6.792 million; 2013 : 9.191 million; 2012 : 5.963 million), of which 71.0% were minerals and ores ( especially cement and precast concrete elements), 12.8% paper and cellulose, 6.5% food and 4.3% machines and devices.

In the same period, Benin delivered goods worth 1.303 million euros to Portugal ( 2015 : 3.283 million; 2014 : 3.473 million; 2013 : 2.539 million; 2012 : 7.342 million), excluding raw cotton .

This put Benin in 101st place as a buyer and 129th as a supplier for Portuguese foreign trade, and in 30th place as a buyer and in 33rd place as a buyer for Benin’s foreign trade.

Web links

Commons : Benin-Portuguese Relations  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Overview of diplomatic relations with Benin at the diplomatic institute in the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs , accessed on May 4, 2019
  2. ↑ Official Portuguese aliens statistics by district , Portuguese Aliens and Borders Authority SEF, accessed on May 27, 2017
  3. ↑ Website on Benin-Portuguese migration (Table A.3) at the Portuguese Scientific Observatório da Emigração , accessed on May 28, 2017
  4. ↑ a b Fernando Cristóvão (Ed.): Dicionário Temático da Lusofonia. Texto Editores, Lisbon / Luanda / Praia / Maputo 2006 ( ISBN 972-47-2935-4 ), p. 835.
  5. ^ Entry of the Forte de São João Baptista de Ajudá in the Portuguese list of monuments SIPA , accessed on May 28, 2017
  6. ↑ List of Portuguese missions abroad , website of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accessed on May 28, 2017
  7. ↑ Entry by the Benin Consulate in Lisbon on www.embaixadas.net, accessed on May 28, 2017
  8. ↑ a b c Bilateral economic relations between Portugal and Benin , Excel file retrieval from the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce AICEP, accessed on May 28, 2017