Bénin and Niger advance border reopening talks after diplomatic thaw

Joint working groups from Bénin and Niger convened in Cotonou this week to lay the groundwork for reopening their shared border. The discussions follow President Romuald Wadagni’s landmark visit to Niamey on June 2, a pivotal step in restoring bilateral relations between the two nations.

Chaired by Niger’s State Minister of Security, General Mohamed Toumba, and Bénin’s Minister of African Integration, Adjadi Bakari, the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cotonou focused on four critical pillars: security, defense, diplomatic affairs, and economic cooperation. The closed-door sessions, which began on June 20, continue through Sunday, June 21.

While the prospect of border reopening draws closer, final agreements on defense protocols, security frameworks, and customs procedures remain pending. Both delegations are working against tight deadlines to finalize these arrangements.