STAMP ISSUES RELATED TO THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY

Benin - 75th Anniversary of ICAO

Issue date: 06/12/2019
	Stamp called “Petit Format” 15x20mm. ICAO’s emblem. French text under the emblem on 3 lines: Célébration du 75^ème anniversaire de / l’Organisation de l’aviation civile internationale / Cotonou, 2019. Coral-blue background. Value: 25FCFA.
	Overprinted COLIS POSTAUX. Postal parcel stamps are used only for shipping within the country. The printing shops may flip the sheets of stamps at the time of overprinting, so the overprint may be shown in two different ways.
	Stamps called “Grand Format” 30x40 mm. Coral-blue background. Values: 1000FCFA and 5000FCFA.
			Full sheet of 32 stamps with value of 25F, showing the date of printing: 10 September 2019.
		Blocks of 4 stamps showing the date of printing: 10 September 2019.
Official First Day Cover. The cover released by Benin is "unfinished", as it is the practice for several countries in Africa; the cover does not show neither the stamps issued nor any cancel related to the 75^th anniversary; it is a way to invite people to buy those covers and use them for sending mail all over the world as a contribution to the economic development of the country. ICAO’s official emblem on a coral-blue background.
Commercial covers which used the stamps of this issue. Two of these covers show the Coat of Arms of Benin, extensively described in the footnotes..
Background: Although the stamps of this issue were printed on 10 September 2019, the actual release date was on 6 December 2019. Benin also put into circulation one small-format stamp with value of 25FCFA (Franc de la Communauté française africaine) for domestic mail. First Day Ceremony: (see picture here below) The audience at the first day ceremony consisted of the President of the Board of Directors of ANAC (Agence nationale de l’aviation civile), the Representative of ASECNA (Agence pour la sécurité de la navigation aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar) to Benin, the Chargé de Mission of the President of the Republic, the Director of State Protocol, the Representatives of the Airlines and the Directors of the various structures providing security services at Cotonou Airport, the Technical Directors of ANAC and the Post Office in Benin. During the ceremony, M. Serge Florent Dzota, Director of ANAC (see at the left side of the picture) and M. Parfait Agblonon, Director of the Post Office in Benin (at the right) have, through their address, praised the synergy that motivated the two structures to join their efforts for the new stamp issue, which consists of three 30x40mm stamps with face values of 1000 FCFA, 2000 FCFA and 5000 FCFA. (Note: Although officially announced, the 2000FCFA was never issued.) Recognizing that the new stamps could contribute to the economic development of the country, the two leaders urged Beninese consumers to purchase stamps and send them around the world. This rather sober ceremony ended with an American-style sale of postage stamps and first day covers. Note on the Coat of Arms of Benin: The Coat of Arms or national seal of Benin, originally introduced in 1964, was readopted in 1990; it serves as a representation of the country's pride, showcasing its historical and paints a vibrant picture of the West African nation's past and present. At the top of the emblem is the national crest that consists of two horns with corn in the ear and filled with sand. These are reputed to stand for prosperity. Below the crest is a shield that contains the actual coat of arms of Benin. The shield is broken into four quadrants. The top left quadrant contains a castle in the style of the Somba, representative of the history of Benin. In the top right quadrant, is the Star of Benin, the highest award of the nation. Below this is a ship, that stands for the arrival of Europeans in Benin. In the lower left quadrant is a palm tree. The shield is supported by a pair of leopards, the national animal of Benin. Below the shield is the motto of Benin (Fraternity, Justice, Labour) in French. The Coat of Arms of Benin encapsulates the spirit, history, and values of the nation. Through its intricate symbols and design, it serves as a constant reminder of the country's heritage, its journey through time, and the aspirations of its people for a prosperous future.