Benin's President-elect Romuald Wadagni, left, and First Lady Nathalie Villette-Wadagni arrive for the inauguration at the Palais des Congres in Cotonou, Benin. -

AP Photo

Last updated: 1 hour ago

Niger

Benin's new leader on Tuesday visited neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, in a sign of easing tensions between his country and the military-led west African states. Niger's military leaders, who broke off ties with traditional ally France after coming to power in a July 2023 coup, closed the border with Benin after accusing the country of harbouring "French bases" bent on destabilising Niger.

But junta chief Abdourahamane Tiani and Benin President Romuald Wadagni, who took office on May 24, issued a joint statement following their meeting on Tuesday signalling a shift in relations. The leaders were "committed to working to remove all obstacles to strengthening cooperation between the two countries, in particular the reopening of the border", it said.

They affirmed "their commitment to join forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism and banditry that has afflicted the subregion for several years". The countries are both battling jihadist violence. Niger has teamed up with fellow junta-led Burkina Faso and Mali to create a confederation called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The three quit West African bloc ECOWAS, accusing it of being in the pay of former colonial power France and the West, and of not doing enough to help them in their fight against jihadists. Wadagni's visit is part of "the active neighbourhood diplomacy" he plans to pursue "with all the states bordering Benin", his office said in a statement. Wadagni spent several hours in Niger before heading to Burkina Faso, where he met with junta leader Ibrahim Traore.

The two "reaffirmed their willingness to reinforce their partnership" and emphasised "the urgency of consolidating cooperation against terrorism, cross-border crime and violent extremism", a joint statement said. - Easing - In an initial sign of improving relations, Niger's Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine attended Wadagni's inauguration. Zeine spoke during that trip of "a new path" for the two countries.

Main roads in Niamey on Tuesday were decorated with both nations' flags, and hundreds of people gathered to greet the presidential convoy. Wadagni, the former finance minister and chosen successor of ex-president Patrice Talon, won the election with 94 percent of the vote. A few days after his victory, Niger's Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba said he was waiting for "goodwill gestures" from the new president, "for Benin to come out and say that it has nothing to do with France's interests, that Benin is not facilitating France's presence on its territory in order to attack its neighbours".

Niger regularly accuses Benin of harbouring French military bases, which it says are training jihadists. Talon was even named by Tiani as one of the "sponsors" of jihadists who attacked Niamey airport in January. Benin and Paris have consistently denied the accusations. In recent years, Benin's north, which borders Niger, has been plagued by increasingly deadly jihadist violence.

Odilon Koukoubou, a political scientist in Cotonou, said the visit could help reduce tensions between Benin and the Sahelian AES states. "It felt as though the military leaders of the AES resented Patrice Talon more than they resented Benin itself. Patrice Talon's departure offered a window of opportunity that had to be seized quickly," he told AFP.

Niger and Benin share economic interests: the port of Seme-Kpodji in Cotonou is the easiest route for bringing supplies in to Niamey and for the export of its raw materials. According to Nigerien official figures, 80 percent of Niger's freight passed through this route before the dispute. A huge pipeline that exports Nigerien oil via Benin has remained in operation. But the only bridge linking the two countries, separated by the Niger River, remains closed, with heavy security measures, according to local residents.

Benin president visits Niger, Burkina Faso after coup tensions

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