NIAMEY — Benin’s newly inaugurated President Romuald Wadagni secured a commitment from Niger’s military junta to begin reopening their shared border during a visit to Niamey on Tuesday. The agreement marks a step toward restoring relations between the two West African neighbors after Niger closed the border last year.
Niger had shut its border with Benin following allegations that Benin was harboring “French bases” aimed at destabilizing Niger. The closure disrupted trade and movement between the two countries, both of which are confronting jihadist violence across the Sahel region.
Wadagni, who took office less than a week ago, traveled to Niger as part of a regional outreach effort to rebuild ties with Sahel states. His trip followed a visit to Nigeria on Monday, which served as his first international destination as president. He also traveled to Burkina Faso on Tuesday to further engage with Sahel states.
During discussions with Nigerien officials, the two sides addressed shared security concerns. Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakary Yaou Sangare, said the presidents discussed the terrorist threat in the Sahel and West Africa. “They reaffirmed their commitment to joining forces to combat the scourge of terrorism and banditry that has plagued the sub-region for several years and is undermining the effective implementation of all the development programmes initiated by their respective governments,” Sangare said.
Niger’s military leaders came to power in a 2023 coup and have since distanced the country from France, its former colonial power and long-standing ally. In recent months, Niger has aligned more closely with Burkina Faso and Mali, forming a new regional alliance called the Alliance of Sahel States. Wadagni’s diplomatic outreach comes as Benin seeks to maintain stable relations with its neighbors despite their shifting geopolitical alignments.