The
World Social Forum (WSF), which took place in Benin in August 2026 marks
another feat for Africa and the global south, when it comes to collective
action and voice on alternative development proposals. The
gathering presents the platform to ventilate the grievances and woes of the
oppressed and marginalized people and communities. Prior to August event 2026
event, Senegal and Mali hosted such similar WSF gathering within the last
decades in a remarkable way.
How
ever, same cannot be said about Benin as it dented the event by nearly
torpedoing its realization, though eventually took place ending on August 8, 2026. To
the Chagrin of every one and the World, the Beninois government, at the
last-minute took an opposite stance, disallowing the WSF to hold as
planned. This manifested in border
closures leading to a sudden return of
the teeming citizens and groups across Africa, Latin America, Asia
Canada etc. other had to take temporal refuge in neighboring countries, while
those that earlier arrived inside Benin became frustrated. The situation was unacceptable. Consistent
talks and negotiations including raised voices from peoples held sway. At last,
the event went on but in a somewhat diluted mode as the steam for participation
had already been watered down. Choosing Benin as the host
ground in Africa could not be for nothing. Benin stands tall in the narrative
of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. This in addition to its role in Pan-African
culture and related contemporary energies, qualify Benin as a good conversation
grounds on the ills of historical injustices and reform seeking agendas, affirmed
in concept of reclamation and repair. These feed into the emerging Reparative
Justice blowing wind. For the information for
those unaware, the UN in March 2026 declared, the trans-Atlantic
slave trade as one of the greatest crimes against humanity, calling on
member countries to engage in Reparative Justice conversations. Whether the
Beninois government was listening to other voices external to Africa is only a
reasonable guess but probably a thing for another day. Albeit the, Benin
eventually did what has to be done, allowing the event to hold makes it better
non. The
Centre for Environmental Justice -Togo and other Oilwatch Africa (OWA) participants
at the WSF found some respite as the event became an avenue to consolidate
their long held alternative development policy advocacy – Repairing harms and
ensuring ecological justice through substitution of fossil energy with
renewables, that is consistent with human and environmental security. At the WSF, OWA and ally groups shared critical
perspectives on the dangers held in emerging climate focused initiatives citing
Energy Transiting and Carbon Marketing, suggesting that factors require deeper
attention without which the systemic impositions, associated with the
mainstream capitalist order will continue to fester. For instance, a paper, Climate
Response and Reparative Justice: Walking on a tight Rope represent one of
the channels to reach out to many. Other avenues used were presentations,
speeches and solidarity actions of various kinds. A repetition of the Benin
incident must be a thing of the past.
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