Niger: When President Patrice Talon gives in to chinese pressure by removing the blockade on nigerian oil
Pressure or a return to common sense, no one can say with certainty, but following a joint press conference led by the Beninese Minister of Mines, Séidou Adambi, and a representative of a Chinese delegation, the Beninese authorities lifted the embargo on Nigerian oil this Wednesday, May 15, 2024.
The Beninese Minister of Mines also affirmed Benin’s commitment to respecting the clauses of the agreement binding the country to Niger regarding the management of the pipeline. This reversal raises questions about foreign interference in African affairs.
According to some analyses, if Benin had respected the agreements on the exploitation of the Nigerian pipeline, the problem could have been avoided. This situation jeopardizes African economic integration and continental solidarity, necessary to tackle common challenges.
What is paradoxical in this case is that Anowhere did we hear ECOWAS speak out on the issue, yet it was the instigator of all these entanglements with its unfair sanctions imposed on Niger. Fortunately, the Chinese authorities have taken responsibility to bring Patrice Talon back to reason, even if only for a while.
Today, the African people no longer need sterile quarrels orchestrated by leaders who, instead of working for the well-being of their population, opt for vassalage to remain in the good graces of foreign powers in order to stay in power indefinitely.
