Benin: Patrice Talon holds his final ministerial meeting, chaired by Romuald Wadan

Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:

The government of Benin held its final cabinet meeting, chaired by President Patrice Talon, on [date]. WednesdayOn May 13, 2026, at the Marina Palace in Cotonou, in a session marking the end of his second term, the outgoing president had the opportunity to apologize to his staff for any shortcomings.

During his speech, Patrice Talon acknowledged that his strict work ethic sometimes posed a challenge to those around him, saying, "I hope you will forgive me for any difficulties you may have experienced because of my personality.".

He justified his decisive nature by referring to the “supreme interest of the nation” and his desire to achieve tangible results for the country’s development, as well as his ambition to move forward “as far as possible” with the reforms he had begun during his ten-year rule.

Patrice Talon praises his successor Romuald Wadani

The outgoing president made a point of paying special tribute to the president-elect, highlighting his outstanding service within the government team, saying: “I would like to particularly commend the president-elect for the role he played among us, which impressed everyone. This justified his selection to lead the country in the coming years, as he was an excellent colleague and is fully qualified, as the people have acknowledged, to be the next leader of the government team in Benin.”

Patrice Talon continued: “With great pride and honor, I supported the political parties” choice of you to take the reins of our common destiny. We are confident that you will lead it with greater skill and success than we have seen so far.”

In response, President-elect Romuald Wadani praised the leadership of his predecessor and commended the structural reforms implemented during Patrice Talon's two terms, stressing that work on these measures would continue with a focus on quality for the well-being of the Beninese people.

Romuald Wadani, 49, will officially become the fifth president of the Republic of Benin under the new democratic era, after taking the oath of office before the Constitutional Court. The formal transfer of power will take place on the night of May 24, 2026.