Law on people of African descent: Olivier Serva, French MP, obtains Beninese citizenship

French MP Olivier Serva, originally from Guadeloupe, recently acquired Beninese citizenship.

This move is part of Benin’s 2024 law recognizing the right to nationality for descendants of Africans deported during the slave trade.

Age 51, Olivier Serva confirmed to AFP that his ancestors were taken from Dahomey (present-day Benin) during the slave trade. He traced this lineage through genealogical research and DNA analyses.

During his stay in Benin, he visited several sites steeped in history. In Cotonou, the monumental statue of the Amazon left a deep impression on him. In Ouidah, he had the poignant experience of the “slave route” and the Door of No Return, which strengthened his personal connection to his ancestors’ country.

At the same time, Benin is intensifying its outreach policy toward its Afro-descendant diaspora. Since July 2025, figures such as American filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife Tonya Lewis Lee have been appointed Benin’s “thematic ambassadors” to the African‑American diaspora.