Bebebent celebrated on August 1, 2021 in sobriety, the 61st anniversary of its accession to independence. In his message to the nation, the president said that "We can be proud of what we are now able to build our country, and achieve most of what we lack."

On the eve of the national holiday, the President of the Republic addressed the Beninese in a televised speech. "If we succeed, it is because we have finally understood that we must not not just to be politically developed that we must above all work again and again to develop, to emancipate ourselves so as not to depend on the charity of others in order to be truly independent," said Patrice Talon. He continues: "With our potential, our new mindset and the successes we are now achieving, the time we will take to cross the remaining steps will be much shorter than the time lost because we have finally really begun to materialize our independence and this momentum we will keep forever."

Patrice Talon welcomed the progress made under her presidency and gave a nod to the condition of Beninese women. The President is committed to fighting all forms of gender-based discrimination. In that connection, he recalled that the reform of the National Women's Institute was part of that framework. Women "will be rehabilitated as indispensable components of society", promises the President of the Republic who calls for a collective leap around this ideal. So he stressed, another lever of development that requires bold action. This is education and training. To this end, reforms have been initiated to ensure good training adapted to the needs of the country.