Africa

Niger’s military junta sends high-level delegation to Benin to ease tensions

Niger's military junta sends high-level delegation to Benin to ease tensions

Jul 25. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The leader of Niger’s military junta, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has sent a high-level delegation to Benin on Wednesday, where senior officials of the Nigerien transitional government will meet with Beninese President Patrice Talon, with the aim of reducing tensions that have arisen between the two countries following the closure of borders by Niamey and the subsequent suspension of exports of Nigerien crude oil by Porto Novo.

The delegation will be headed by the Minister of State and the Interior, Brigadier General Mohamed Toumba, who will be accompanied by the Minister of the Cabinet of the President of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP), Soumana Boubacar, and representatives of the High Commander of the National Gendarmerie, the National Guard, the National Police and the General Directorate of Documentation and External Security, according to a statement from the CNSP published on its Facebook account.

The CNSP stressed that the mission was sent at the request of former Beninese presidents Nicéphore Soglo and Boni Yayi, whose mediation between Benin and Niger had previously led to the creation of a commission to resolve the differences between the two governments.

Relations between Niamey and Porto Novo have been deteriorating since the coup d’état that took place in the summer of 2023 in Niger, which led to the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum, leading to the imposition of sanctions and the suspension of trade by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The Nigerien military junta then closed its border with its neighbouring country citing security concerns, to which Talon responded by ordering the suspension of oil exports.

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