Foreign fleets, predominantly Chinese and South Korean, dominate West African waters, reaping profits while local economies suffer. Industrial vessels engage in destructive practices such as saiko, a form of transshipment whereby large trawlers offload catches onto smaller boats for resale. A 2024 Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) report said that saiko accounted for more than 100,000 tonnes of illegally caught fish in Ghana in a single year.Chinese vessels are the most prolific offenders, catching an estimated 2.35 million tonnes annually in the region – half of China’s distant-water fleet catch, valued at $5 billion. This overexploitation devastates artisanal fishing communities. In…
Mamah Djiman Hairith
The Benin government’s efforts to fight corruption were reinforced in January 2022 with the launch of a toll-free hotline service that enables members of the public to report allegations of corruption in all its forms. Citizens can call the hotline as well as make a complaint online. The website has been designed to not only allow members of the public to lodge an allegation or complaint but also to track uptake and monitor progress on the investigation if the special unit assigned to it finds there are grounds for investigation. The system was established specifically to encourage citizens to play their…
Since 2016, the authorities in Benin have undertaken various initiatives to provide the population with access to clean drinking water. These efforts are primarily focused on enhancing the effectiveness of the National Water Company of Benin (SONEB), the main public organisation responsible for this resource.In 2017, Benin established the National Drinking Water Supply Agency in Rural Areas (ANAEP-MR) with the goal of achieving the targets set by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to ensure access to water and sanitation for all by 2030. The primary objective of this agency is to develop and manage the country’s water systems…