ECOWAS : Beninese president Patrice Talon regrets sanctions imposed on AES states
Following AES’s withdrawal from ECOWAS, beninese President Patrice Talon expressed regret over his country’s and the institution’s handling of the coups d’etat in Mali, Burkina Faso, and recently Niger. Facing the press on February 8th at the presidential palace, the Benin Head of State, who had been one of the leading voices in the threat of armed aggression against Niamey and the imposition of severe sanctions against its northern neighbor, now backtracks.
Better late than never, as they say, even though Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have already indicated that their decision to leave ECOWAS is irreversible. In a meeting with media professionals, the beninese President seems to offer his mea culpa to AES, acknowledging that the regional institution went too far in its reaction against the peoples of its countries, especially Niger, with which Benin closed its border and suspended imports of goods transiting through the port of Cotonou following the coup d’etat on July 26, 2023.
« Sanctions are not meant to last over time. We (Benin) are the first to want the sanctions to stop. I am in a hurry. It’s not because the sanctions cause serious harm to Benin, no. I want Beninese people to know : sanctions cause harm to Benin, but even more to the Nigerien people. Our Nigerien brothers suffer more than us », Mr. Talon acknowledged.
The beninese leader believes it is time to lift the sanctions and prioritize the community of peoples in the West African region. « It’s time for us to lift the measures. The dispute should not persist. If it leads to the division of peoples, everything should be dropped, make peace between the bodies to preserve peace between the peoples », he continued.
According to him, it would be appropriate to ask the Nigerien people what they specifically want in order to help them instead of sticking to positions of sanctions. As for the decision of the states to withdraw from AES, Patrice Talon says he is distressed. « It saddened me a lot. After their decision, I personally called one of the three presidents. I told him it wasn’t right. Our role is not to divide peoples because their will is to integrate. There is no conflict between the people of Benin and those of Niger, Mali, or Burkina », he said.
« The concern lies among the heads of state of ECOWAS », he thinks, describing the departure as « unfortunate ».
It is worth recalling that in a speech last December before the National Assembly, President Talon announced his intention to « quickly restore relations » between Benin and its neighbors who have experienced coups d’état. There is « a time to condemn, a time to demand, and a time to take stock and take note », he said, specifically mentioning the case of Niger, with which relations were strained following the ousting of Mohamed Bazoum.
