BENIN SHOCKS ECOWAS AS COTONOU STANDS WITH AES LEADERS

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]The warm applause that erupted in Cotonou for the Sahelian delegations wasn't just polite clapping. It was a loud, unmistakable signal from ordinary Beninese that something bigger is shifting in West Africa.

[00:00:12]Is Benin quietly preparing to tilt toward the Alliance of the Sahel states?

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[00:00:23]On May 24th, 2026, Romuald Wadagni, Benin's former finance minister, was sworn in as the country's new president at the Palais des Congrès in Cotonou.

[00:00:34]He succeeded Patrice Talon after winning the April 12th election with over 94% of the vote. According to official results, turnout reached about 63.5%.

[00:00:44]The opposition candidate, Paul Hounkpè, conceded early. Reports indicate the ceremony featured high-level delegations from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the three AES nations, including Niger's prime minister and the foreign ministers of Mali and Burkina Faso.

[00:01:01]This stands out because relations between Benin and these countries had been icy for years, marked by border closures, ECOWAS sanctions disputes, and security tensions.

[00:01:12]The crowd's enthusiastic applause when the Sahelian envoys were announced has fueled speculation about a potential diplomatic reset or even deeper alignment.

[00:01:22]>> The Nigerien delegation was represented at the high level. It is the Nigerien prime minister who represents Niger, this country, and I'm sure there are delegations from Burkina Faso and maybe even from Mali that have arrived. It is an important signal.

[00:01:37]>> Our neighbors in the subregion, I want to acknowledge their presence here.

[00:01:42]It brings us joy. I want to renew the message of brotherhood from the Beninese people.

[00:01:51]My conviction is that in a in a subregion facing the threat of terrorism, we will be compelled to work together.

[00:02:05]I therefore want to reiterate Benin's willingness to to act in concert with them to overcome this scourge.

[00:02:17]I want to reiterate my conviction that together with them, we can build a powerful Africa by making our own choices of direction, our own strategic orientation choices, and especially by ensuring their proper execution.

[00:02:35]>> Many Africans across the continent have indeed anticipated stronger ties or even realignment with the Sahel block, especially after years of frustration with ECOWAS dynamics and perceived Western influence in coastal states.

[00:02:48]Wadagni's warm reception of these delegations suggests pragmatism, a technocrat focused on practical outcomes rather than rigid ideological blocks.

[00:02:58]>> The new president The new president extended friendship and brotherhood to the AES countries by inviting them, and our respective presidents authorized us to come and attend this important event.

[00:03:09]And I believe that a new path is opening up. He spoke precisely about taking charge of one's own destiny, of creating one's own strategies, and that that encourages us.

[00:03:19]And I believe that the people of these countries have always been together. And the most important thing was the consolidation of the Alliance of Sahel States.

[00:03:27]>> The question that arises is therefore the following. What meaning can we give to this presence of the Alliance of Sahel States countries at the inauguration ceremony of the new Beninese president?

[00:03:41]Does the strong and notable presence of the AES delegations, who warmly greeted the new Beninese president Patrice Talon, suggest something significant about the current political climate or perhaps the nature of their diplomatic relationship?

[00:03:53]Romualdo Wadagni Freshly sworn into office under the solemn cannon fire of the Beninese army, does this particular presence of the AES, in your opinion, actually signify that the persistent problems between the Alliance of Sahel States on one hand and ECOWAS on the other, the persistent problems between the Beninese government on one hand and the Alliance of Sahel States countries including Niger, does it mean these problems are over?

[00:04:29]My answer is twofold.

[00:04:33]First, primarily, the presence of the Alliance of Sahel States does not mean that the problems between Benin and the Alliance of Sahel States countries are over because those problems are still there. And what are those problems?

[00:04:46]The first problem is the fact that the Beninese authorities have agreed to make Benin the real fallback base for the neocolonialist and terrorist French army, which, as we now know beyond any reasonable doubt, is indisputably and unquestionably proven to be under the cover of NATO, the main sponsor of the terrorist groups that are blooding the Sahel, the Gulf of Guinea and Lake Chad.

[00:05:13]That is the first problem.

[00:05:15]The second problem is the issue of economic cooperation between Benin and the AES countries, especially after the attempted embargo outlined by ECOWAS, including Benin against Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. Attempted embargo which was sanctioned by the closure of the Benin-Niger border.

[00:05:37]Second problem, the problem is still there.

[00:05:40]The border is still symbolically closed.

[00:05:46]And finally, there is a third problem.

[00:05:50]It is that of the economic cooperation agreements linking Benin to the Alliance of Sahel states countries and notably to Niger.

[00:05:58]As you know, for a very long and significant period of time, the port of Cotonou had been, before its accelerated economic collapse, the main and most important export and import route that was regularly used by Niger to trade with the entire world.

[00:06:11]This crucial port served as a vital gateway, enabling Niger to connect with global markets and facilitating the movement of goods and resources across international borders.

[00:06:22]These are three levels of significant problems which at the moment when the Prime Minister of Niger, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, shakes the hand of the new president of the Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon, these problems remain unresolved.

[00:06:39]At the moment when the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mali, Ambassador Abdoulaye Diop, shakes the hand, taking a brief pause, he does so with a sense of official diplomatic courtesy.

[00:06:52]Well, of the new Beninese president, Patrice Talon, are not resolved.

[00:06:59]At the moment when Minister Jean Marie Traore of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso shakes the hand to congratulate the new Beninese president, Patrice Talon, these problems are not resolved.

[00:07:14]That's one.

[00:07:17]But the second and important observation is that we must understand the gesture of the Alliance of Sahel states through an expression in the French language.

[00:07:26]This is often called the benefit of the doubt.

[00:07:31]It's the keyword of this morning show that I invite you to remember the benefit of the doubt.

[00:07:37]It's the act of giving a chance to someone who has just taken on new responsibilities to steer relations with their rivals, with their adversaries, even their enemies, to steer relations with their neighbors in a new and positive direction.

[00:07:55]The Alliance of Sahel States, strongly represented at the inauguration of President Kossi Agbossou Gbeha, Romuald Wadagni, who is well known, came to grant him the benefit of the doubt, showing a bit of trust.

[00:08:08]He was certainly Minister of Economy and Finance in the government of President Patrice Talon.

[00:08:15]And as such, he happened to support the offensive political line of his boss.

[00:08:19]And even to say things that contributed to accentuating the conflict between Benin and its northern neighbors, the neighbors of the AES.

[00:08:28]But now, President Wadagni is no longer Minister of Economy and Finance of Benin, but President of the Republic.

[00:08:38]He thus gains a new scope of action, a possibility for renewal.

[00:08:42]He is certainly capable of embodying a new and promising direction for the relations between Benin and the AES, as well as the relations between Benin and its neighboring African countries.

[00:08:56]That is exactly why Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, all of which are currently led by their presidents, have made this decision.

[00:09:05]Abdourahamane Tiani, Ibrahim Traoré, and Assimi Goïta have decided to give a brand new opportunity for Benin.

[00:09:16]To grant the new president this period of respite, this time of grace called the period of the benefit of the doubt.

[00:09:24]That is to say that in good faith, the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States let President Kossi Agbossou Gbeha, Romuald Wadagni, correct the errors, or rather the mistakes that were committed by his predecessor.

[00:09:37]In the interest of our African people in Benin and of all the peoples of the West African region, have you understood?

[00:09:46]Have you understood?

[00:09:48]By taking this step, the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States show diplomatic maturity, political maturity, geostrategic and geopolitical maturity.

[00:09:59]Because it will not be said that it was they who did not want things to change.

[00:10:04]It will not be said that they did not even allow the new president to breathe, that they were already inflicting the same shock therapy on him as on his predecessor who was an aggressor of the AES.

[00:10:15]Because Patrice Talon was an aggressor of the AES.

[00:10:20]It will not be said that the Alliance of Sahel States did not give a chance to understanding, to communion, to dialogue.

[00:10:28]And that is precisely why, with great respect and admiration, I would like this morning to sincerely salute and pay tribute to the truly monumental vision, as well as the subtle, profound, and absolutely sublime vision demonstrated by the remarkable leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States who, even while fully knowing and being aware that Patrice Talon, the outgoing Beninese president and his French neocolonial masters, will insist on controlling the new president Gossou Bleue Romuald Wadagni even more closely.

[00:10:59]The Alliance of Sahel States gives him the benefit of the doubt.

[00:11:04]The Alliance of Sahel States grants him the possibility of a new beginning, the possibility of a bright spell, the possibility of an improvement, the possibility of a positive revolution.

[00:11:17]I have always told you here, my dear friends, that political criticism has no other goal than the improvement of the fate of our peoples.

[00:11:26]Whenever we take to these social media platforms to criticize a government or to criticize a policy, it is in the hope that those being criticized will change their attitude.

[00:11:36]And if those being criticized do change their ways, we have an intellectual and moral duty to come here, acknowledge them, and congratulate them.

[00:11:45]Many didn't understand at one point that we, who have been known for a long time as one of the biggest critics, well, of the Togolese political regime, praised this regime when it played a vital role in safeguarding the vital interests of the Alliance of Sahel States, which were threatened by French neocolonialism and its armed wing ECOWAS. Yet, our political criticism of the Togolese regime is only meant to lead it to change its policies, just as it changed its policies on the international stage.

[00:12:16]And later on, to change his policies even on the national level.

[00:12:20]That's what criticism is for.

[00:12:22]Criticism isn't about failing to recognize progress.

[00:12:26]Here is the new Beninese president.

[00:12:29]Regardless of the difficult and fragile circumstances under which he came to power, we know how his predecessor literally tampered with and rigged the electoral process to impose him in order to protect his own interests.

[00:12:42]That we know, that's Benin's internal politics.

[00:12:45]But we grant him, along with our leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States, we grant him the benefit of the doubt.

[00:12:54]I, Nyamsee of Cameroon, of Africa, follow in the footsteps of the enlightened leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States in this matter.

[00:13:03]They are right to say, "You know, he's a new president. He just came to power, so let's give him a grace period. Let's give him some time to act differently.

[00:13:11]Maybe we should wait and see how he chooses to lead."

[00:13:15]But this grace period, this benefit of the doubt, this time for breathing and renewal, so to speak, doesn't mean laxity.

[00:13:22]It doesn't mean we believe he'll perform a miracle.

[00:13:26]It means we're giving him the to show what he's capable of.

[00:13:30]Because in fact, it's man who makes man.

[00:13:32]Man is the remedy for man.

[00:13:35]What Talon has undone, he can do.

[00:13:38]What Talon has destroyed, he can rebuild.

[00:13:42]This is unquestionably possible if there's a political will to truly serve the interests of the Beninese people and to serve Africa.

[00:13:50]Because in fact, improving relations between Benin and Niger won't just benefit the people of Niger.

[00:13:56]It will benefit the Beninese people.

[00:14:00]Improving relations between Benin and the Alliance of Sahel States won't only benefit Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

[00:14:07]It will be beneficial to the people of Benin.

[00:14:10]If President Patrice Talon Romuald Wadagni wants to serve Benin, he must soften He must smooth things over. He must improve relations with the countries on his country's northern border.

[00:14:21]He must improve his relations with the Sahel States.

[00:14:26]Now, to conclude these remarks, which I don't want to be long, on what decision is President Romuald Wadagni Patrice Talon expected to act? He is expected to make four decisions. There are four decisions that he must take.

[00:14:41]And it's not that he must take them because someone dictated them to him, because these are decisions that the people of Benin themselves desire.

[00:14:48]Because the people of Benin suffer from the artificial separation imposed on them from their brotherly peoples of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.

[00:14:57]If President Patrice Talon Romuald Wadagni truly wants to start his term under the banner of serving the people, there are four decisions that he must inevitably take. First decision, ask the French neocolonialist army to leave Beninese soil, where it organizes the destabilization of Niger and the AES and supports terrorist groups.

[00:15:16]That is the first decision.

[00:15:19]The complete and unconditional departure of all French neo-colonialist military troops and personnel from the sovereign territory of Benin is considered to be an essential and fundamental prerequisite for the gradual easing and improvement of diplomatic relations between Benin and the AES alliance.

[00:15:36]Because the French army in West Africa is, without any doubt, clearly a support army, a terrorist army, a neo-colonialist army, and also a criminal army.

[00:15:45]In every sense, it acts as a force that supports these roles, making its presence highly controversial and widely criticized. That's what it is.

[00:15:53]And we must not forget that this army fired on the Beninese army.

[00:15:59]The French army fired on the Beninese army in December.

[00:16:02]You cannot keep this army on your soil and believe that you will be at peace because it is an army of destabilization, not only of Benin, but of the subregion.

[00:16:12]That's number one.

[00:16:14]Second important decision, to put an end to the hostile activities towards the legal economic cooperation between Benin and Niger. There are economic cooperation agreements that link Benin and Niger, notably the agreements for the exploitation of Nigerian oil, the exploitation of Nigerian oil through the port of Cotonou.

[00:16:39]Benin must clearly show that it never wants to use these agreements as a means of blackmail against Niger again.

[00:16:46]It must not only remove the French troops, but secondly tell Niger, "Let's do business."

[00:16:52]Second decision expected from President Ouattara, the end of the blackmail, the use of the port of Cotonou as a means of blackmail. This has to stop.

[00:17:02]And it will be beneficial for Benin.

[00:17:04]Third decision.

[00:17:06]The third decision on which the new Beninese president is expected to act is to accept that the Beninese army fights terrorist groups in perfect agreement and in perfect harmony with the army of Niger, with the army of Burkina Faso, with the armies, the unified force of the Alliance of Sahel States, which will never be a force hostile to the regime of President Wadagni, but on the contrary, a force that will guarantee him the security of his northern border.

[00:17:39]So, entering into a relationship of trust with the brotherly countries of Niger, Mali, and Burkina, who have never wished any harm.

[00:17:47]They have done no harm to Benin.

[00:17:50]Pascal Tigri's coup attempt was not prepared by the Alliance of Sahel States.

[00:17:56]Presidents Tiani, Goïta, and Traoré have nothing to do with Pascal Tigri's coup attempt.

[00:18:02]Today, President Kossi Amédée Romuald Wadagni knows this.

[00:18:09]That is the third important decision.

[00:18:12]Finally, there is a fourth decision that is also very important.

[00:18:16]It is a decision for de-escalation on the diplomatic and media fronts.

[00:18:21]The newly installed president in Benin, Kossi Amédée Romuald Wadagni, can give instructions to all branches of public communication, Beninese public political communication, that there be no more offense toward the sovereign struggle of the Alliance of Sahel States, because it is a legitimate struggle.

[00:18:40]And he will have exactly the same attitude from the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States. That is to say, the end of diplomatic and media hostilities.

[00:18:52]So, there are four levels of decision that are expected from the new Beninese president, Kossi Amédée Romuald Wadagni.

[00:19:02]The Alliance of Sahel States grants him the benefit of the doubt to end the occupation of his country by French neo-colonialist and terrorist troops.

[00:19:13]The Alliance of Sahel States grants him the benefit of the doubt to end the instrumentalization of the Port of Cotonou as a means of blackmail against the AES and against Niger.

[00:19:23]The Alliance of Sahel States grants him the benefit of the doubt to open an era of true military cooperation with these countries, brotherly countries on his northern border, which are the AES countries.

[00:19:34]Finally, the Alliance of Sahel States, through the solemn and important delegation that came to greet him, opens a time, a ground for media and diplomatic appeasement between Benin and the Sahelian countries.

[00:19:46]The new Beninese president therefore has the responsibility to chart a new future.

[00:19:52]If he wants to, he can.

[00:19:55]And he must.

[00:19:58]But if he doesn't want to, he won't be able to and he won't have to.

[00:20:02]Will he be able to meet the challenge?

[00:20:04]It all depends on him.

[00:20:06]The cards are on his table.

[00:20:08]So, naturally, it's not going to be easy for him.

[00:20:12]President Wadagni must break free from the shadow of his predecessor who, taking refuge, so to speak, in the Senate, will continue, one way or another, to want to play the role of the great president.

[00:20:24]It won't be easy for him to tell France, "Withdraw your soldiers.

[00:20:28]Stop right there. You shall not pass.

[00:20:30]Go back home."

[00:20:32]We know it's not going to be easy.

[00:20:34]And that's why I'd like to salute the diplomacy of understanding, the diplomacy of maturity, the diplomacy of lucidity that the Alliance of Sahel States has adopted toward the new Beninese president.

[00:20:47]It truly shows that the Sahel is led by men who see far and who see deep.

[00:20:52]I wish you an excellent morning and I thank you for sharing this widely.

[00:20:56]I asked my brothers and sisters in Benin to deliver this video to the new president of Benin, Kossi Me Boueke Romuald Wadagni, to tell him that, in the wake of the leaders of the Alliance of Sahel states were giving him the benefit of the doubt.

[00:21:11]We're putting him under observation on the four points we've mentioned.

[00:21:15]If he truly wants, as the young president of the Republic of Benin, to reconnect the Beninese government with the broader continental Pan-Africanist forces, then it really is all in his hands.

[00:21:26]>> However, this is where it becomes more complex.

[00:21:30]What Agni is largely seen as a continuity candidate. As Talon's finance minister, he helped drive economic reforms that boosted growth, infrastructure, and Benin's image as a stable investment destination.

[00:21:42]But he inherits serious challenges Talon faced in his later years. Rising jihadist threats in northern Benin, youth unemployment, and questions about democratic space after a tightly controlled election process.

[00:21:55]What is often overlooked is the economic angle.

[00:21:59]Benin's port in Cotonou is a vital trade gateway for landlocked Sahel nations.

[00:22:04]Reopening full borders with Niger and deepening cooperation could unlock mutual benefits in trade, energy, and security. Areas where pure ECOWAS frameworks have recently struggled. Yet, Benin has also publicly recommitted to strengthening ECOWAS.

[00:22:19]Could this balancing act make What Agni more effective than Talon?

[00:22:23]Talon was praised for economic transformation, but criticized for centralizing power and limiting opposition voices.

[00:22:30]What Agni, at 49, brings a younger technocratic style and has vowed to deliver a stronger social dividend, better living standards, improved security, and inclusive growth.

[00:22:40]But another factor is emerging.

[00:22:42]Legitimacy.

[00:22:44]A 94% victory with limited opposition participation raises questions about how broad his real mandate is.

[00:22:51]Will he open more political space or continue the consolidation of power?

[00:22:56]Do you believe a finance technocrat like What Agni can deliver both economic results and genuine democratic breathing room.

[00:23:04]If current trends continue, one possible outcome is a pragmatic detente. Benin acts as a bridge between coastal states and the AES, facilitating dialogue on security and trade without formally leaving ECOWAS.

[00:23:17]This could stabilize the region and boost Benin's economy through better northern integration. Realistically, full AES membership seems unlikely in the short term.

[00:23:27]Wadagni has signaled commitment to subregional integration while prioritizing Benin's interests.

[00:23:33]Best case, he successfully tackles northern insecurity and translates growth into jobs, emerging stronger than Talon by balancing diplomacy and domestic reforms.

[00:23:43]Worst case, heightened jihadist attacks overwhelm security efforts, economic gains remain uneven, and regional tensions flare again if border issues persist.

[00:23:53]Much depends on whether he can build broader national consensus beyond his strong electoral numbers.

[00:23:59]The inauguration revealed deep public appetite for reduced regional hostility and practical cooperation.

[00:24:06]Wadagni's early moves suggest he understands that in today's Africa, rigid blocks may matter less than results on security, trade, and livelihoods.

[00:24:15]His presidency will test whether continuity with Talon's economic vision, combined with smarter regional diplomacy, can address the frustrations many citizens feel.

[00:24:25]The big question remains, can Romuald Wadagni turn symbolic applause to lasting regional stability and tangible progress for Beninese people?

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[00:24:51]Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and engage respectfully.