Africa-Press. The new president of Bénin, Romuald Wadani, has resumed his country’s efforts to rebuild relations with its neighbors in the Sahel region. He conducted two official visits to Niger and Burkina Faso as part of efforts aimed at opening a new chapter of cooperation after years of tension between Bénin and some countries in the region.
Wadani began his tour with a visit to the Nigerien capital, Niamey, where he was received by the president of the National Council for the Protection of the Homeland, General Abdrahmane Tiani.
During their discussions, both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and working to remove obstacles to cooperation between the two countries, focusing on economic and security issues of mutual interest.
The two parties stressed the need to reactivate border cooperation, including addressing issues related to the closure of borders between the two countries since the coup in Niger in 2023. They also agreed to assign a committee of experts to identify existing obstacles and propose appropriate solutions, with a report to be submitted within 15 days.
Wadani and General Tiani also discussed the security challenges facing the Sahel region and the northern areas of coastal countries amid rising threats from armed groups. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing security coordination and unifying efforts to combat terrorism, armed robbery, and transnational crime.
Wadani then traveled to the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou, where he held a working meeting with Burkina Faso’s president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, at the Kolouba Palace. A joint statement issued after the meeting indicated that the visit aims to revive the historical relations between the two countries and build a new partnership based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation in facing common challenges.
The two sides addressed the security situation in the region, emphasizing the urgent need to enhance bilateral cooperation to combat terrorism, organized crime, and all forms of violent extremism that threaten regional stability.
On the economic front, both parties highlighted the importance of the Port of Cotonou for Burkina Faso as a vital outlet for supplies and trade. They agreed to enhance cooperation in transportation and logistics services, as well as to encourage trade exchange and joint investments between the two countries.
They also agreed to reactivate the joint cooperation committee between Bénin and Burkina Faso as soon as possible, aiming to elevate bilateral relations to higher levels of coordination and integration.
At the conclusion of the visits, the president of Bénin extended official invitations to both General Abdrahmane Tiani and Captain Ibrahim Traoré to visit the capital, Cotonou, where the two leaders expressed preliminary agreement to the invitation, with visit dates to be determined through diplomatic channels later.
