Terrorism and relations with France. Niger and Benin trade accusations | News

The head of Niger’s ruling military junta, General Abdoul Rahman Tiani, accused Western and African countries of being involved in fueling terrorism in the Sahel region of West Africa and coordinating with armed movements that fight governments and seek to destabilize them.

In a three-hour interview on national television on Saturday, General Tiani said that the closure of the border with Benin will continue due to security and military considerations, accusing the government of Patrice Talon of coordinating with France and Western countries that aim to destabilize Niger.

The government in Niamey closed the border with neighboring Benin about two years ago, accusing it of harboring French troops seeking to overthrow the junta regime that has ruled the country since the July 26, 2023 coup.

Gen. Tiani was accused of Nigeria and Benin for playing suspicious roles in training and arming what he called “mercenaries” in West Africa’s Sahara region, calling on governments in the Sahel alliance to unite and continue the common fight against terrorism.

Official denial from Benin

For his part, Benin’s Foreign Minister Olusegun Agadji Bakary said that Niger’s statements are dangerous and baseless, stressing that his country is fighting terrorism on its own soil and against any threat coming from neighboring countries with all firmness and sacrifice.

“The attempt to associate our country with such practices is unacceptable and extremely unfair to our defense and security forces and our entire people,” Bakary said.

“We fully respect Niger’s sovereignty and its right to choose its partners, but likewise, we will not allow anyone to impose their choices on us, as decisions regarding our partnerships and cooperation stem from our national sovereignty,” Benin’s foreign minister said.

In response to the repercussions of the border closure, Bakary noted that his country’s economy has maintained positive growth. “In 2024, despite the closure of the border with Niger, Benin achieved a growth rate of 7.5%, which exceeded all expectations, and we will work to strengthen this resilience,” he said.

“Our peoples do not expect us to engage in mutual recriminations or accusations through the media and social media platforms, but rather demand concrete solutions to the real issues they face,” added Benin’s head of diplomacy.

Common interests

and intersect Niger Niger and Benin share many common interests, as they are united by borders, geography, the challenges of terrorism, poverty and development.

Due to the geography of the vast desert, which makes Niger a landlocked country in the heart of the desert, it has adopted Niamey over Benin’s capital Cotonou in terms of revenue and exports.

Over the past years, Niamey’s dependence on the port of Benin for revenue and exports has reached 69%, while it imports 13% of its needs from the port of Lomé, 8% from the port of Ghana, and 7% from the port of Côte d’Ivoire.

In return, Benin earns large profits from taxes on goods passing through its port to Niamey, and many of its registered companies export goods and food products to its northern neighbor.

Earlier this year, Benin’s President Patrice Talon said that terrorist threats to his country will remain as long as cooperation and relations with Niger remain strained.

Roots of tension

Since independence from France, relations between the two countries have been based on the principles of good neighborliness, cooperation and economic integration, but the recent coup in Niger changed the equation, as Benin supported the military intervention that ECOWAS was planning to carry out to restore legitimacy.

The coup leaders in Niamey did not accept the decision of the authorities in Benin. to ECOWAS is out of the ordinary, contrary to good neighborliness and historical relations, and they saw it as a disservice to the people of Niger.

In September 2023, the military junta in Niamey announced the suspension of military agreements with Benin, which were related to fighting terrorism, securing borders, coordination and information exchange. Niger’s rulers justified their decision by saying that their neighbor had become a center for the presence of French military bases and a shelter for terrorist movements.