Benin-AES: Spokesperson welcomes Sahel tour aimed at restoring confidence
The spokesperson for the Beninese government, Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji, expressed satisfaction on Friday with the new dynamic of rapprochement between Benin and the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). He stated that President Romuald Wadagni’s recent tour of the Sahel marks the return of renewed trust and a shared desire to turn the page on past misunderstandings.
The Beninese head of state traveled successively to Niamey and then to Ouagadougou, two Sahelian capitals.
At each stop, Mr. Houngbédji described the reception as “perfectly receptive,” both from the leaders and the populations.
“The newcomer among heads of state has made it his duty to visit his elders to tell them: ‘I have just arrived, I am your new companion, and I wish for a new dynamic to be implemented,’” he explained.
In Niamey, President Wadagni and General Abdourahamane Tiani signed a joint communiqué marking their willingness to fully restart bilateral relations.
The two parties committed to removing obstacles to their cooperation, with the reopening of their shared border in sight.
The border has remained closed since the crisis stemming from the July 2023 coup. In Ouagadougou, Captain Ibrahim Traoré received his Beninese counterpart. The two leaders described their meeting as a “decisive step” toward revitalizing bilateral relations.
Discussions focused on key issues: security, trade, infrastructure, and facilitating exchanges. Particular attention was given to the strategic role of the Port of Cotonou for Burkina Faso’s economy.
The spokesman was keen to note that Benin had never broken dialogue with its AES neighbors. According to him, former President Patrice Talon had already launched numerous initiatives toward Burkina Faso after the regime change in Ouagadougou. Furthermore, Cotonou had supported the lifting of ECOWAS sanctions despite persistent tensions.
For Wilfried Houngbédji, these developments illustrate an unavoidable regional reality.
“States may have differences, but they understand that they are condemned to live together,” he said.
According to him, this dynamic opens the way to deepening political dialogue, security cooperation, and economic exchanges between Benin and the AES countries.
Titi KEITA
