Niger and Benin: Significant progress on a number of sensitive issues
مفاوضات النيجر وبنين
Niger and Benin announced significant progress on a number of sensitive issues, including security, transit of goods, and bilateral cooperation, amid improving relations between the two neighboring countries.
This came after two days of talks in Cotonou, and with this the two countries take a decisive step in their rapprochement by reaching preliminary agreements on security, economic and legal issues after 48 hours of discussions, paving the way for the reopening of their common borders soon and renewing the commitment to bilateral cooperation.
Normalization of economic and legal conditions
These developments come as a result of consultations that began on Friday in Economic capital Benin was visited by Niger's Minister of State for the Interior, Public Security and Territorial Administration, Major General Mohamed Toumba, who headed a large Nigerien delegation.
At the conclusion of the talks, the two sides announced their agreement on several principles, including security cooperation, exemption from transit fees, a ban on the release of certain goods for consumption, a review of various fees, and the settlement of outstanding disputes.
General Tomba stated, “We have ensured that security is our priority, and we have laid the necessary foundations for the normalization of economic and legal conditions,” praising the choice of dialogue to create “value for our economies, security for our people, and hope for our youth.”.
On the Beninese side, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Oulechigon Adjadi Bakari, stated that the two delegations had succeeded in restoring a climate of trust.
He added: “After 48 hours of meeting, we form one delegation with one goal: to revive the love and deep-rooted historical ties between our two peoples.”.
The results of the talks still need to be submitted to the authorities of both countries for approval before they can be implemented.
These agreements follow the momentum that began on June 2 in Niamey during a meeting between Beninese President Romuald Wadani and Nigerien President General Abdourahmane Tiani.
Launch of the Joint Cooperation Committee
This also comes just days after the announcement of the “fruitful results” achieved by the Beninese-Nigerien expert committee tasked with studying the conditions for reopening the borders, which have been closed for almost three years.
In addition to the border issue, the two countries intend to relaunch their joint cooperation committee and enhance coordination in combating terrorism and armed robbery in border areas.
General Mohamed Toumba's visit is therefore one of the most significant tangible developments since the rapprochement between Niamey and Cotonou began, while a similar visit by General Abdourahmane Tiani to Benin is still under consideration through diplomatic channels.
