Niger : Authorities maintain closure of borders with Benin
In recent hours, some media outlets have been disseminating information suggesting a decision by the Nigerien authorities to reopen the borders with Benin. However, from reliable sources, this is not the case. It is false information ; the transitional authorities have not made any such decision.
Following the lifting of some of the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS against Niamey, Benin has decided to reopen its borders with Niger. However, on the Nigerien side, nothing has changed. The new rulers of Niamey are not ready to resume relations with their Beninese counterparts, especially concerning commercial exchanges. Consequently, the border remains closed on the Nigerien side.
Certainly, Nigerien delegations have conducted exploratory visits to Beninese territory in recent days. During these visits, representatives of the CNSP hinted at the imminent opening of the border, but for now, everything suggests that no decision has yet been made in this regard.
The fact is, the junta in power in Niamey has not yet digested the unilateral decision by President Patrice Talon to close the border with Niamey. Nor has it accepted the strict enforcement of the inhumane sanctions imposed by ECOWAS.
Added to this are the enormous losses suffered by Nigerien economic operators. It is precisely because of all these setbacks that Niger rejected Benin’s offer to resume imports through the port of Cotonou.
Niger rejected the resumption of imports via the port of Cotonou, announced earlier by Benin, as announced by the Niger Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a statement at the end of December 2023.
As a reminder, the severe sanctions imposed against Niamey were aimed at pressuring the military junta to reinstall Mohamed Bazoum in power. However, ECOWAS eventually realized that its method did not work. On the contrary, it succeeded in radicalizing the military who seized power.
